


His Immortal Sunshine

by dragonbornette



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst with a Happy Ending, Everybody Lives, Explicit Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Masturbation, Other tags to be added, Punishment/Reward KINDA, Unrequited Love, exercise sex, no betas we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 01:02:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 60,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21467470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonbornette/pseuds/dragonbornette
Summary: Prompto is ready to become a Crownsguard and meet his hero, Cor the Immortal. But when he finally meets him and feelings develop, can what grows between them stand the test of time?Crack inspired bythis video, which led to a whole crack fest with @thwippersnappleNote: this is a canon AU that loosely follows the Kingsglaive/Main Game plot :) But since I've had a lot of people get mad around Chapter 15, I ask that you PLEASE note there is no Character Death warning, and also the tags I have used. PLEASE READ THE TAGS SO YOU DON'T GET MAD AT ME.
Relationships: Clarus Amicitia/Regis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Nyx Ulric, Prompto Argentum/Cor Leonis
Comments: 208
Kudos: 183





	1. Chapter 1

He breaks through the early morning fog, along the worn path that travels through the park. It’s only him, and despite the inner-city location, he’s alone with only the sounds of his breath and his feet hitting the ground. He forewent the music this morning, so anxious and nervous about what lay ahead that he just wanted to concentrate and enjoy his workout.

Today, he would start training for the Crownsguard. Today, he’d finally start on his road to becoming more than just a friend to Noctis, he’d be able to protect his friend, and prince. And today, he’d get to meet _Cor_.

Prompto is probably the only trainee excited to meet the Immortal, but after hearing all the stories from Noctis and Gladio and sometimes, even Ignis, how could he _not_ be excited? The man is pure badass and Prompto is getting the opportunity to _train_ with him?

Okay, sure, maybe not one on one, and they probably wouldn’t even talk past basic introductions, and Prompto knows he isn’t even special enough to be singled out in any way. Not to self-deprecate, but there really isn’t any one skill that he has that will separate him from the rest of the trainees. Maybe it’s too soon to say, but Prompto isn’t holding his breath. He just wants to do well enough to succeed and _earn_ his place at Noctis’s side.

The good news is that Cor doesn’t exactly seem the type to give preferential treatment, so at least Prompto can take solace in that. He got in on his own merit, he’ll stay and earn his place with it, too.

But still, he hopes it’s enough to be noticed.

It’s probably silly of him to be so fanboyish over a man he’s never met, but the idea excites Prompto nevertheless. This man has done plenty for his country and home and Prompto’s just excited at the prospect of being in the same room with such a legend. If the man had both Gladio _and_ Ignis’s respect, it was one thing, but even Noctis had amazing things to say about him.

The anticipation has Prompto running a little faster as he grins his way down the path through the park and around. By the time he finishes, he’s feeling refreshed and ready to go, so he hurries home to shower and get ready.

Once he’s clean and dressed, Prompto dresses in the training uniform provided to him and checks himself in the mirror. He wants to look his best, and spends more time on his hair than anything else. He steps back and surmises his work before snapping a picture with his phone and sending it to Noctis.

He’s surprised when he actually gets a response back so early in the morning, but Noctis sends him a thumbs-up emoji alongside “go get em!” and Prompto grins.

Checking himself one last time in the mirror, the young blond leaves and heads for the Citadel, deciding to walk. Although he’s been there plenty of times, Noctis had always been with him, going without the prince at his side feels more daunting than the young Crownsguard-to-be had expected.

But it won’t stop him. He won’t let it.

When he arrives and is allowed entry, Prompto feels his nerves starting to kick in as he’s led through the halls and to the courtyard where several trainees are already standing in attendance, waiting. To Prompto’s relief (and surprise!), Gladio is standing off to the side with Ignis – Prompto couldn’t be happier. Even if they can’t be his friends right now – duty comes first, of course! – he’s happy they’re there at all.

Walking up beside a red-haired boy, Prompto glances around eagerly for some sign of Cor, working his lip without even realizing it. He knows he should focus more on the fact that he’s _here_, he’s going to begin training to be a Crownsguard, but he can be excited about more than one thing, right?

Just as he thinks to strike up a nerve-fueled chat with the red-head, Gladio’s booming voice sounds across the courtyard to call for attention as Cor appears through one entryway. His trademark katana is strapped against him and those steely-blue eyes sweep over his new recruits, calculating and assessing who would make it and who would fail.

His eyes briefly pass over Prompto, who swears that gaze lingered as his heart skips a beat, but when it passes and Prompto dares to look at the other recruits, they seem intimidated and anxious.

Why? Aren’t they as happy to be here as he is? Or is it Cor? Are they _scared_? Of the Immortal? Shouldn’t it be an honor? He can’t be the only one excited.

“Good morning, recruits,” Cor says after another moment passes, eyes scanning them once again. “My name is Cor, commander of the Crownsguard, guard to the royal family. You are here today because you have been chosen to serve. However, there are limited spaces available. You _will_ have to work for this, you _will_ have to earn this.”

He nods to the side and before Prompto can glance over to see what’s going on, Cor takes a stance and places a hand on the hilt of his katana. “Your first drill will be to accomplish this move by day’s end,” he announces.

Without warning, someone – Ignis? Gladio? – tosses a chunk of meat into the air. Cor pulls his katana partially out, then back into the hilt in a split second, before the meat falls back to the floor, in pieces.

It takes everyone several seconds of stunned silence to realize the prank for what it is. Cor’s katana never left its hilt. More than one chunk of meat had been thrown. A now disappointed Cor had tried to break the ice by being funny, but apparently every recruit was too dumbfounded that he had a sense of humor to laugh.

Except for Prompto. 

Doubled over, he honk-laughs and weeps tears as he clutches his stomach. That was the funniest fucking thing he’s seen outside of the shenanigans he gets up to with Noctis. He can feel everyone’s eyes on him, everyone aghast that he’d dare laugh, thinking he’s going to be in so much trouble, but he can’t help it.

It was funny!

By the time Prompto straightens, his teary eyes find Cor is watching him, and although the man wears a poker face like it’s the most natural thing in the world, Prompto sees that hint of a smile and is shocked into silence.

But that moment passes as soon as it comes, Cor turns back to face the recruits, his icy exterior back in place. “Partner up and we will begin your actual training.”

His words create a force field around Prompto ten feet wide as everyone in his general vicinity clears away from him to partner with someone else. Blinking, Prompto looks around, confused more than anything, but everyone’s giving him the side-eye like he has a death wish for thinking to laugh at Cor.

Prepared to practice on his own and not let this get to him, Prompto turns his attention back to Cor, only to find the Immortal standing directly before him. He nearly jumps out of his skin, but manages to keep from making himself look any more like an idiot and rubs the back of his neck.

“Heh, hey, uh, hello, Sir? Mr. Leonis? Sir the Immortal?”

Prompto swears another smile whispers across the line that is Cor’s mouth before the older man bows his head. “I will partner with you, Mr. Argentum.”

“Please, sir,” the blond laughs, trying to hide his nerves and the _fact his idol is going to practice with him_. “Mr. Argentum is my father. I’m Prompto!”

The hand he offers stands alone for a solid ten seconds as Cor blinks at Prompto, glances down at the hand, and then takes it in his iron grip. The exchange earns them snickers and a few “serves him right” reach Prompto’s ears, but he ignores them.

This was more than he could ever have asked for. Cor the Immortal. He gets to learn directly from the master himself.

Prompto is going to be a _great_ Crownsguard.

* * *

For a man seemingly made of iron, Cor turns out to be everything Prompto ever imagined. He’s firm and stern, but kind. When Prompto made mistakes, he wasn’t berated, he was guided, corrected. Over the course of their first day in training, he grew less and less afraid of making mistakes, and more about seizing the opportunity to learn how to do things right. There was something soothing and calming about Cor’s presence, something that Prompto found he needed and wanted more of with every minute that passed. 

When they finish for the day, Prompto lingers, torn between leaving and saying something to Cor. He gives in, in the end, and turns back to face the older man. “Um, sir?” he calls, still timid despite having spent the day with him.

“Yes, Argentum?”

Prompto can’t help the goofy smile the surname brings him. “Please, just Prompto,” he says as the older man faces him. “Um, thank you for training with me today. Seriously, I think everyone was just too scared to laugh at your prank. It was hilarious.”

Cor only studies him, eyes twinkling even if he’s not smiling. He’s not as scary as Prompto thought he’d be, in fact, the longer he stares, the kinder Cor seems. He doesn’t even realize he’s staring or that the seconds are ticking until Cor shifts his weight just ever so slightly.

“You did very well today,” he says. “In fact, allow me to continue to be your partner going forward.” He pauses. “…If that’s alright with you.”

Prompto’s jaw drops before he can catch it and he nods emphatically when his brain finally catches up. “T-that’d be great!” he exclaims. “Thank you!”

Cor nods curtly and leaves the courtyard without another word, Prompto’s eyes following him the whole way until he realizes he’s alone. He blinks as he looks around before a whistle from behind has him turning to see Gladio.

“Yo, Chocobo, come on,” he calls. “Gotta show you the locker room and then Noct wants us all to meet up for dinner.”

Prompto grins and sprints across the courtyard to the big guy, high-fiving him when the other man puts out his hand. “Today was _awesome_,” he gushes as Gladio laughs, leading him back into the Citadel and down a hall.

“I heard,” he says with a nod. “Picked by the Marshal himself. That’s no small thing.”

Prompto looks up at Gladio, eyes shining with excitement as they reach the indoor training room. They pass through it and enter a large locker room before Gladio stops at a group of lockers to the side.

“Mine, Iggy’s, Noct’s,” he says as he points to each respective locker, “and this one’s yours. You can use it starting tomorrow.”

Prompto beams and nods, practically bouncing where he’s standing as he looks to Gladio. “Right next to yours!” he exclaims, clapping. “Thanks, buddy!”

There’s a warmth in Gladio’s smile that Prompto misses, but the big guy doesn’t make a show of it as he walks away from the locker towards the blond. “Come on, I’m sure we’re runnin’ late to meet up with the others.”

Thinking nothing of the arm around his shoulders, Prompto feels his chest expand with pride and relief and happiness. Today couldn’t have gone better – he knows he’s going to make it into the Crownsguard with Cor as his teacher; he’s going to _earn_ his place at Noctis’s side, and he’s proving himself to people like Gladio and Ignis.

Perfect.

* * *

By the time they reach the diner, Prompto feels the adrenaline wearing off and the fatigue and cramps starting to set in. He pushes through it when he sees Noctis waving to them from the booth, as Ignis offers a smile and a nod to the blond.

“So how was it?” Noctis asks from across the booth as Prompto and Gladio slide in on the opposite side.

The question alone is enough to renew Prompto’s energy as he sits up and beams at Noctis. “It, was, _awesome_.” He pauses long enough to give the waitress his order and then turns his attention back to the prince. “I trained with Cor _himself_. He did this hilarious prank—“

“—I fail to understand how no one but you laughed,” Ignis politely interrupts. “We worked on that for _days_.”

“Prom was the only one?” Noctis asks with a slight frown, aware of the prank being discussed.

“I think everyone was too petrified of Cor to relax,” Prompto tries to explain, “but he’s…” He smiles a little and fails to hide the blush forming on his cheeks. “He’s _awesome_. They’re missing out!”

“Ugh, sounds like a bunch of shitty recruits,” Noctis mutters. “I wouldn’t be surprised if half of them don’t even make it. Prom’s gonna kick ass.”

“Damn right,” Prompto laughs, high-fiving Noctis across the table. “Especially with the Immortal himself training me.” He bites back an excited squeal and bounces in his seat. “You guys, _it was so awesome_.”

He gushes about Cor for a while longer as the others laugh and listen, before they resort to playing King’s Knight until their food comes. They eat and steal each other’s fries, but by the time they're done, Prompto’s energy is sapped and he’s falling asleep against Gladio.

“Poor guy,” Gladio mutters. “First week’s always rough. We’re all used to it.”

“Speak for yourself,” Noctis huffs as Gladio smirks at him. “Cor couldn’t have gone easy on him.”

“He kept up with the Marshall fairly well,” Ignis advises, glancing at the prince. “I’m certain that will work in his favor. Hopefully he has the energy tomorrow.”

Noctis laughs and finishes his shake. “Have you met Prompto?” he asks. “It’s bottomless.”

They all share another laugh as Ignis pays for their meal and Gladio hoists Prompto onto his back to carry him out to the car. He carefully deposits the young blond in the back, joining him to keep him steady as they drive to his house. He’s more obvious than he should be as he watches Prompto the whole way, then tears his gaze away to watch the buildings pass by instead.

By the time they reach Prompto’s house, the blond stirs against Gladio and sits up in confusion. “Huh?” he murmurs, rubbing his eyes. “Where are… When did we leave the diner?”

The others laugh as Noctis turns around to look at his friend. “You passed out,” he teases. “We brought you home.”

“Aw, but I wanted to kick your ass in Smash Bros tonight,” Prompto whines, looking up at his friend.

“Perhaps tomorrow, Prompto,” Ignis replies, looking at him through the rearview mirror. “Today was hard on you physically. Take a bath, do some stretches, and prepare for tomorrow. There will be plenty of time for games later in the week, mm?”

Prompto pouts but nods and glances up at Gladio, who’s watching him without saying anything. “You got this, blondie,” he says, ruffling the younger man’s hair to which Prompto squawks in protest. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Nodding, Prompto gets out of the car and waves his friends off, sighing as he heads inside and up to his room. He doesn’t like coming home to an empty house, would rather have stayed with Noctis and the others, but he supposes the responsible thing to do is what Ignis suggested. He starts a bath and pours some salts in for his muscles, stretches while he waits for it to fill and strips once it’s done.

A long contented sigh escapes his lips as he sinks into the water and his mind wanders as he thinks about his day. He feels like a gloriously broken record as he thinks about training with Cor for the bajillionth time, about how much he’d learned, about all that talent and fame just _right there_. Those eyes watching him, those hands correcting his stances and positions.

Prompto’s hand slips along his inner thigh before he’s realized it and he gasps out of his reverie, blushing and looking around as if someone could catch him.

He… _No_. He does _not have a crush on Cor_.

But his body is saying something else and Prompto slips further down into the water, feeling something akin to shame. This is _wrong_ and is going to ruin his Crownsguard training, but the thought of those eyes on him forces a whimper past his lips and he wraps a hand around himself before he can stop it.

_It’s just the adrenaline_, he thinks as he strokes, panting softly. _The excitement_.

That’s all this is. He’s excited and he’s burning off the excess energy that he hadn’t gotten to do after training earlier. Yeah, that’s it. But the thought of those eyes staring, and those hands gripping him instead of guiding him have Prompto stroking faster, his toes curling as his head tilts back and his tongue wets his dry lips.

He was _supposed_ to be relaxing. But all he can think about is what kind of lover Cor is – if he’s rough or gentle, quiet or vocal – and his release comes tumbling out of him faster than he expects it to. It’s not as satisfying as he wants it to be, but he gasps and arches, soiling the water and whimpering as his world spins.

Quickly moving to drain the water, feeling his face flush with embarrassment, Prompto rubs his face and wonders how on _Eos_ he’s going to get through training with this on his mind.

He curses under his breath the whole way, until he’s ready for bed and under the covers. He tries to think of things that will ruin the fantasy, like maybe Cor’s happily married with kids, but everyone knows he isn’t.

By the time Prompto falls asleep, he’s already back to dreaming about the kind of things he could get up to with that man


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> breakfast with regis leads to shenanigans.  
practice leads to surprises.  
and cor drops some hints.
> 
> (beautiful fanart by none other than @thwippersnapple)

Cor’s brow twitches when the doors open as he’s eating breakfast. Lately, he’s managed to time it just right where he’d be leaving just as Regis and Clarus arrive, but the fact that they’re here early means that they want something, and not that he’s running behind schedule.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to be around them or anything, but lately, Regis and Clarus’s antics have gotten…shall we say _extreme_? Twenty years ago, it was funny – now? His Highness and his Shield are lucky Cor hasn’t reached over the table and strangled them both.

He could do it.

“Ah, Cor,” Regis greets as warmly as he can manage, and Cor hides another twitch because he hates that he was right about his suspicions. It’s not that Regis can’t be nice, but when he’s _too_ nice… “Glad we could catch you before you slipped away.”

As the king takes his seat at the head of the table, Cor glances his way and nods. “Majesty.”

“How did the training session go yesterday for our new recruits?” the king asks as his breakfast is brought out along with Clarus’s, who had passed behind Cor to go to the window.

Cor glances back at his plate as he recalls the previous day’s events, shifting in his chair slightly when he thinks of the young blond he’d been trying _not_ to think about. He’d spent the entire evening desperate to figure out what had grabbed a hold of him, why he’d beelined to Prompto – and it _wasn’t_ because the kid had been the only one to laugh at his brilliantly orchestrated prank.

…Was it?

“Cor?” Regis prompts again at the other’s silence.

Lifting his gaze, Cor offers a tiny smile, which for him is normal. “Quite well,” he finally answers. “I can’t speak for the entire class quite yet, but we definitely have a handful of promising students. One, in particular, who I believe is a friend of your son.”

“Ah, yes,” Regis says, eyebrows raising as he glances at Clarus. “Noctis did mention young Prompto was finally recruited. It is good to hear he shows promise. A fitting companion for my son, I should hope.”

Cor opens his mouth to reply, hoping his cheeks don’t look as warm as they feel, but notices Clarus and Regis are both leaning forward expectantly, like they’re waiting for something. He pauses as his brow twitches again, lips thinning into an all-too familiar line. “What?”

Both King and Shield look at each other and realize their error, sitting back almost immediately. “Oh, nothing, just anxious to hear about the recruits,” Regis backpedals poorly, but Cor can’t figure out what it is he’s missing.

It is until he takes a sip of his orange juice and it spills all over him that he realizes his glass has been replaced by a prank one. And if he hadn’t already guessed, Regis and Clarus’s howling laughter are enough to tell him who the culprits are. He bites off a curse before it can come out and stands from his chair abruptly, and although he wants to be angry, the way Regis is gripping Clarus’s shoulder as he bends over from laughing, gives Cor pause and he sighs.

Although he does hate being the butt of their seemingly endless pranks, Cor doesn’t hate how much…well, _joy_, it brings the king.

A brief glance down and Cor knows Clarus is reciprocating the king’s touch because although he can't see the Shield's hand, he knows it's on Regis’s thigh and Cor sighs as he takes his napkins and tries his best to dry himself off. “This is why no one likes you, you know.”

“Marshal, I dare say that’s treasonous talk,” Clarus wheezes out, unable to keep a straight face as he says it.

Cor sighs again.

* * *

It’s early when Prompto arrives in the courtyard after putting his things in his new locker, but to his surprise, there are a handful of recruits already here. Not as many as there were yesterday, surprising the young blond as he looks around, wondering if they'll show at all. He spots Gladio and Ignis by the same entryway that Cor had appeared through and the youth heads over to greet his friends.

“Hey guys,” he says with a wave, missing the way Gladio perks up as he looks past them to see if there’s any sign of Cor.

There isn’t.

“Good morning, Prompto,” Ignis responds with a nod. “Feeling better this morning, I hope?”

Blushing, Prompto rubs the back of his neck and glances up at Gladio. “Uh, yeah, sorry I fell asleep on you, big guy.”

Gladio tries to laugh it off. “I didn’t think I was soft enough to be a pillow.”

Prompto smiles a little before he relaxes and nods. “I’m still a bit sore, but I think stretching helped!”

“Mm, if you have any salts to add to your bath, they may help as well,” Ignis advises with a soft smile. “If not, I can lend you some of mine.”

“Oh, that’d be great!” Prompto exclaims with a nod, unable to help the soft bounce that comes with his excitement. If Ignis is suggesting something, then it’s _got_ to be good.

Before he can say any more, Cor appears through the entryway and Prompto feels his face practically burst into flame as he turns away. How on _Eos_ is he going to manage to train today after what he thought about and did last night?

What if Cor somehow knows and doesn’t pick him?

Prompto’s inner-monologue is on full panic mode until Cor sweeps past him and stands before the group. Everyone quiets and is a bit on edge, wondering if another prank is coming their way or if the Marshal plans to get straight to business.

He’s almost disappointed when Cor greets them and starts talking. “Good morning,” he greets, eyes moving over the youths in front of him, reaching Prompto and lingering before motioning for Gladio and Ignis to join him.

…Prompto hadn’t imagined that, had he? Or maybe it didn’t mean anything, because they _had_ trained together yesterday. Maybe Prompto had left a better impression than he’d thought?

Gladio and Ignis proceed to lead them all in a series of stretches and warm-ups and by the end of it, Prompto feels the burn and has worked up a sweat, but it feels good. His muscles are still sore, but he feels less stiff than he did and thinks he can make it through today with fewer issues than he’d anticipated.

“We have a full agenda today,” the Marshal continues once they’re finished warming up. “We will be learning the following moves and techniques today. Pair up with your partners from yesterday, who will be your partners until you depart training voluntarily or not.”

A few snickers float Prompto’s way and the blond stares back incredulously. How could the others _still_ think his pairing with Cor was a _punishment_? How did they not realize how lucky he was compared to them? He forgets his embarrassment in the tub last night and puffs his chest out with a sense of pride, violet eyes finding Cor is watching him and he knows he isn’t imagining the twinkle.

It’s time to show the other ‘kids’ who’s boss.

Prompto does his hardest to pay attention to the demonstrations Cor, Gladio, and Ignis provide, knowing he’s probably missing plenty of tiny details, but he knows that sort of attention to detail will come with time. For now, he does his best at what he _does_ know to look for and hopes that what he shows Cor will impress the Immortal when it comes time to practice.

After a few more run-throughs of the techniques, Cor pauses for questions before advising any questions that _do_ come up should be directed to Gladio and Ignis. Satisfied as his gaze sweeps over the recruits once again, Cor approaches Prompto.

Straightening his posture, Prompto bows politely in greeting before a question slips past his lips. “Sir, are you _sure_ you want to be my partner?”

Those too-blue eyes fall on Prompto and the eyebrow twitch on the other man’s stone face tells the blond that was Cor’s version of an eyebrow lift. “Is that your way of telling me you no longer want me as your partner, Argentum?”

Prompto pales and practically flails in protest. “N-no!” he exclaims. “I mean—” Shit, what _did_ he mean?

“Argentum—_Prompto_,” Cor corrects himself. “Instead of being self-conscious about my decision to train you myself, take it for the opportunity it is. I know you recognize it as such already, don’t disappoint me by making me remind you.”

Blinking in surprise, Prompto snaps to attention and nods. “Yes, sir!”

And with that, they begin training. Prompto desperately tries to take what he’d seen Cor do with Gladio and Ignis, but finds Cor has to correct him and assist him just as much as he’d had to yesterday. And although his correcting and suggestions are kind and patient just as much as they’d been before, and Prompto _knows_ he’ll get better with time, he can’t help but feel frustrated. He’d been so eager to learn and had felt so _good_ about things yesterday, but the techniques were already harder and more complicated and Prompto, despite recent practice for the test that allowed him into the Crownsguard, had never taken to melee weapons easily.

Even in video games.

They break after a couple hours of intense practice and Prompto sags to the ground, winded. Just as he catches his breath and gets to his feet to find his water, a bottle is in his face. He jumps in surprise and then again when he looks up to see Cor is the one handing it to him. He takes it, but before he can thank the older man, Cor is motioning with a finger for the youth to follow him.

Prompto quickly rises and follows Cor to the far side of the courtyard, taking a drink from his water once he gets the chance.

“Melee weapons aren’t your thing, are they?” Cor asks as Prompto drinks, eyes widening slightly when the question makes the blond choke on his water.

Sputtering, Prompto responds to the strong slap on his back from Cor, leaning on the wall in sheer embarrassment as he coughs. “W-what makes you say that, sir?”

Cor tilts his head at Prompto, who blushes and looks away, still coughing. “What’s your preference?”

Prompto looks back at the Marshal in surprise and shrugs. “…I’m better at ranged,” he admits, hoping Cor doesn’t ask why because if he has to admit ‘video games’ to the Immortal, he just might die.

“We have options for ranged,” Cor says after a moment, “but you won’t make it through basic training unless you can competently use melee, magic, and ranged.”

Prompto hangs his head, thinking this was Cor’s way of dismissing him from the Crownguard. “…I understand, sir.”

“…Prompto.”

Prompto looks back up, unable to stop the lip-biting that comes with it and he _swears_ the older man’s cheeks turn pink. He’s suddenly back in his tub, thinking about what he’d imagined Cor doing to him, thinking about what Cor _could_ do to him, thinks about delicious things that are _wrong_ and he’s down the rabbit hole and then some.

He doesn’t know how he’d fallen so far so fast. Maybe it’s because he hasn’t had any a _while_. Maybe it’s because he has a thing for older men that he’d never quite known about til now? _Prompto doesn’t know_. All he does know is that Cor has been speaking to him and he’s thought about being thrown up against the wall by the Marshall instead.

“…I-I’m sorry?” he stammers, cheeks burning as he returns his attention back to Cor.

Cor’s eyebrow twitches again – another lift – before he clears his throat and speaks again. “I asked if you’d be interested in some one-on-one lessons, after training, a couple times a week as to not exhaust you.”

Prompto’s breath catches in his throat. Why isn’t Cor dismissing him? Why isn’t he being thrown out? Should he be offended that he needs additional training? Or should he feel honored that Cor thinks he’s worth keeping around?

As if aware of the turmoil in Prompto’s mind, Cor actually laughs, startling the blond at the show of emotion. “Perhaps I should be clearer,” he says. “This offer has nothing to do with any lack of talent I think you have. You would never have been recruited if you didn’t possess enough skill in the first place, be assured that you earned your place here.” He waits for the relief to blossom on Prompto’s face – and it does – before he continues. “But I want you to be as proficient and as confident at swords and other weapons as you claim to be at ranged. Especially if you are to protect His Highness. I firmly believe you have the capability. Do you?”

Prompto’s jaw drops in surprise and before he can answer, Cor speaks again. “Yesterday, you were confident and up to the challenge. I was not misleading you when I spoke of your excellence during practice. Where is that man?”

Blushing, though in shame this time, Prompto lowers his gaze before a hand touches his shoulder and Cor steps closer to continue his pep talk. Prompto’s heart pounds in surprise at the closeness just as the smell of cologne and sweat washes over him and—

Wait, _cologne_? Cor is wearing _cologne_? Why? Prompto had been within inches of him yesterday and hadn’t smelled a thing, what had changed?

Violet eyes lift again to look up at Cor and he braves to wonder if this attraction isn’t one-sided after all, but he immediately dismisses the thought. He’s dived _way_ too deep on this and if he doesn’t stop it now, he will fail Noctis and himself.

Cor is wearing cologne and that’s it. There’s nothing more to it.

Swallowing thickly, Prompto nods at Cor before the other man can say anything more. “I’ll do better, sir,” he promises. “I’ll show you I’m worth the effort. Let’s do those one-on-ones until I don’t need them anymore.”

A small smile forms on Cor’s lips. “Let’s hope you’re not a ‘one-and-done’ type of man.”

There’s a smirk on his face as the Marshal walks away and Prompto stares after him. He…he _couldn’t_ mean… No, it had to be a joke. Or not even a joke. He’d meant it as he hoped Prompto didn’t quit after one session, that’s all.

But Prompto can’t shake the feeling that he’s very wrong, and the way it’s making him feel is probably just as wrong.

* * *

It’s a long day of training, but by the end of it, Prompto feels like he’s gotten world’s better than the way he’d started the day. Cor had had to correct him less and less and by the time they finish, Prompto can execute the techniques _almost_ perfect. He thinks he’s behind but when he looks around, he sees several of the other pairs throughout the courtyard still struggling.

“…Are you sure that I’m the one that needs the one-on-ones?” he jokes with a soft laugh and Cor gives him a look that Prompto _thinks_ is a smile before the Marshal takes his place before the class and calls attention.

“Argentum, with me,” he says, motioning to his side and Prompto blinks before hurrying over to Cor’s side. “Get in position.”

A few snickers reach Prompto’s ears, but he ignores them as he meets Cor’s eyes and at the Marshal’s command, they begin the techniques. They go through all three without a single mistake and when they finish, Prompto _knows_ it’s pride he sees in those blue eyes.

Bowing to the young blond, Cor turns back to his class and Prompto sees his gaze harden. “While you were busy laughing at Mr. Argentum, he surpassed you with flying colors. I see two, maybe three pairs of you that have managed to correctly execute these more than simple techniques. Do you plan to snicker your way through training in service to the Crown, or were you planning to actually pay attention and behave like Crownsguards?”

Silence answers him and Cor’s cold eyes pass over his class once more before he nods. “You three pairs may leave, the rest stay until you perform the techniques as I asked,” he orders before glancing to Ignis and Gladio. “They can leave when this is done.”

Gladio and Ignis nod, neither one complaining though Prompto _knows_ Gladio got the short end of the stick with this one as Ignis has to attend to Noctis. As Cor dismisses the class, Prompto walks over to Gladio and smacks his arm gently.

“Don’t worry, I’ll save you some pizza,” he says as Ignis sniffs dismissively.

“My apologies, when did I say we were having pizza?” he asks and Prompto suppresses a whine, channeling Noctis without even meaning to. “We ate out last night, which means?”

“Healthy gross food tonight,” Gladio answers and Ignis glares daggers at him but Prompto can’t help a giggle and he knows Ignis can’t be mad at him.

“Text me when you’re on your way,” Ignis requests, touching Gladio’s arm before heading off and Prompto offers a sympathetic smile.

“Want me to stay?”

“I hate to say it, blondie, but I think they’re already a bit salty at you,” Gladio replies, glancing at the recruits forced to keep practicing. “Don’t sweat it. They’ll get over it if they want to be Crownguards. Go on. I’ll see you later.”

Prompto braves a swat to Gladio’s ass as he leaves, laughing when Gladio chases him a step. He heads to the training room and past it to the locker room, deciding to change into his regular clothes before leaving. He strips out of his training uniform and tosses it onto the bench, opening his locker and digging into his bag to get his jeans and shirt. He wipes off with a towel and has his jeans pulled out when someone else comes into the locker room.

It’s Cor.

Prompto doesn’t know why he freezes, why he’d chosen that moment to hold his shirt with his teeth while he buttons his tight jeans, but his gaze is locked with Cor and even those eyes are fixed on his, they still seem to take all of him in as they look. His shirt falls out of his mouth and although he’s not naked, he might as well be with the way those eyes just…_pierce_ him.

Finally looking away, Prompto bends to get his shirt and tries to act like nothing just happened. “H-hey,” he stammers out, tugging on his shirt, cheeks on fire once again.

Cor takes longer to reboot, blinking once he does and clearing his throat. “I meant to say before you left, that if anyone gives you any trouble, you let me know.”

Prompto forgets his embarrassment in lieu of what Cor says. “…Uh, you don’t have to do that,” he reassures with a wave of his hand. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” Cor replies quietly in a way that makes Prompto’s heart flutter, “but it is behavior that is unbecoming of my Crownsguard. I have zero tolerance for it. Your success is not a reflection or cause for their failure, understand?"

Prompto nods and offers a smile. “…Thank you,” he says as Cor turns to leave. “Cor?”

Cor turns in surprise when Prompto uses his name.

“…Thank you,” the blond repeats before he blushes and shakes his head. “I mean, for believing in me.” It sounds so corny, but it’s been said and Prompto can only hope Cor doesn’t give him hell for it.

The Marshal just offers one of those small smiles and nods. “You’re welcome,” he says, turning to go before he pauses and glances back at Prompto. “And Argentum?”

Prompto has picked up his bag to pack his things and pauses. “Yeah?”

He doesn’t miss the way those eyes glance over him and that smile returns to the line of Cor’s mouth. “Nice form.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay with this fic. i have a TON of personal projects going on, so my fics are kind of taking a backburner to those, but this fic will probably suffer the most since it's catering to such a small audience. i'm sorry T___T; thank you to you who ARE reading though, don't get me wrong, I appreciate you <33
> 
> ALSO, *PLEASE* leave kudos and comments on this since it is a rarepair fic. It helps assure me and keep me feeling like these rarepair fics are worth continuing. And if you know any other Cor/Prom fans, please share it too <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> someone has a crush on noct.  
day three of training.  
and a line is crossed.

As much as Noctis hates to be up this early in the morning, he’s got too much to do today and sleeping in had just _not_ been an option. He sees his dad, attends _one_ meeting, and skips the next, opting to go find the training Crownsguard recruits instead. He steps off the lift and hurries down the hall, past the locker room and out into the Courtyard. He hears the sound of practice weapons _clacking_ before he makes it around the corner, pausing there to peek around and spy on his friends.

Not that he really _needs_ to hide, but he is supposed to be in a meeting, and the last thing he needs is Cor catching him.

Cor always seems to…know.

Spotting Prompto, Noct pulls out his phone and snaps a picture of the blond, engaged in a round of drills with Cor and looking super focused. It’s something Noctis only sees at certain times in his friend, and there’s something about the sight of Prompto so in the zone that makes him proud. He smiles, takes a video, and then looks for Ignis and Gladio, only to have a throat clear behind him.

The prince stifles a yelp of surprise as he turns and comes face to face with Nyx, a more frequent face these days and Noctis has to wonder why. “What are you doing here?”

Nyx lifts an eyebrow. “I could ask you the same thing, Highness.”

“Just watching my friends,” Noctis quickly counters. “No skirmishes to fight?”

“No,” Nyx answers. “No meetings to attend?”

A blush crests the prince’s cheeks and Nyx smirks.

“Thought as much,” the Glaive says before leaning in, a little _too _close. And it’s not that Noctis doesn’t like it, he just…never expects Nyx to be so brazen in the open. It’s like he doesn’t know Noctis at all, maybe that’s what it is that bothers the prince. “I won’t tell if you won’t tell.”

“Tell what?” Noctis huffs, meeting those blue-gray eyes. “I don’t have anything on you, that’s not how that phrase works.”

Nyx laughs and leans back. “I’m just having some fun, Highness. Lighten up.” He claps a hand against the prince’s arm and shrugs, worrying that maybe he overstepped. “Your father did send me though. He’s waiting.”

Flushing pink once more, Noctis darts off with Nyx’s laughter chasing him and he glances over his shoulder to find the Glaive still watching him before he’s back inside and off to the meeting he’d tried to ditch.

* * *

As training begins and the day progresses, Prompto approaches it with a renewed sense of spirit – the awkward encounter with Cor at the end of the previous day notwithstanding. He hadn’t known what to make of the Marshall’s comment. The lower half of his body had known, but not his upper half. His head and heart had remained in a state of turmoil all evening, throughout dinner, and had eventually allowed Noctis to hand him his ass in Smash Bros.

Yet, here he was in training excelling today. He hears everything Cor says, responds, improves, and agrees to their first one-on-one tonight after training. He hadn’t been expecting to start so soon, so the invitation throws him off balance, and after an hour of practice, he finally notices Cor looks different today. It takes him another few minutes before it occurs to him that…something _is_ different about the Marshall today.

Prompto’s too busy concentrating on their drills to be able to figure it out, but the second they take a break, his eyes fall on Cor as the older man grabs the bottom of his shirt and raises it to wipe his sweaty brow. He exposes a rack of abdominal muscles that has Prompto’s mouth watering and before the younger man can look away, he’s spotted.

To his surprise, though, Cor doesn’t approach him. Prompto didn’t notice right away until he turns to look for Cor again and realizes the Marshall is across the Courtyard talking with Ignis and Gladio about something. Prompto watches longer than he means to, and once again, it’s a second too long. Cor’s eyes find him across the way, only this time, Prompto doesn’t look away.

When their gazes meet and hold for as long as they do, it finally occurs to the blond what’s going on and he looks away, blinking rapidly as the realization dawns on him. He stares at the ground, water bottle forgotten in hand as a million thoughts run through his brain.

This is really happening, Prompto realizes, heart pounding as he struggles to place his mouth over the lip of the water bottle. It takes him two failures before he finally is able to take a drink and he spills half of the gulp over his chin. A thought occurs to him and he glances back at Cor just in time to catch a blush cresting the Marshall’s cheeks and Prompto whips around in sudden confirmed understanding.

He has _not_ been imagining this.

And now he has a new problem: getting through training. Getting through his one-on-one tonight and any future sessions they have. Can he do it?

Prompto blinks the doubt away. Of _course_ he can! He’s not doing this just for himself, he’s doing this to protect Noctis, to be by his side and protect his prince and future king. There’s no doubt in his mind, but he hadn’t expected to face an obstacle like this!

An attraction to Cor, of all people, and not only that, a seemingly _mutual_ attraction.

Gladio barks out an order signaling the end of their break and with one last drink of water, Prompto gets to his feet and glances Cor’s way. Fortunately, the Marshall is talking with Ignis before he turns to face his partner. Their gazes lock across the yard and Prompto feels his insides flutter – that _can’t_ be medically healthy for him – as they approach each other.

But Cor says nothing, does nothing out of the ordinary once training and drills resume. Of course, Prompto thinks, he’s professional. Even if this _does_ turn out to be real, he wouldn’t talk about it with so many ears listening. He decides to approach this like he would any lesson – deal with it with the appropriate time comes.

Right now? It’s a distraction, and for all he knows, Cor means it to be one just to teach Prompto.

* * *

As training comes to an end and Cor orders them into formation to wrap things up, Prompto finds his stomach in knots. The thought of being alone with the Marshall is starting to petrify him, despite how many times he tries to tell himself everything’s going to be fine. After a few brief notes and comments on their progress, Cor dismisses them with a lingering gaze on Prompto, which the youth responds to with a nod.

The butterflies return as Prompto goes to get his things and head to the locker room, stopping by Gladio on the way to let him know he’d be late tonight.

“Oh yeah?” Gladio asks as he packs up the training weapons. “Whatcha got goin’ on?”

“Cor’s doing some one-on-ones with me!” Prompto tries to say with more enthusiasm than what comes out, earning a raised brow from Gladio. He winces at the look and sighs. “I’m nervous.”

“Well, I don’t gotta tell you not to be,” the big guy says as he finishes with the weapons. “It’s a great opportunity, but I’m sure you know that too. I look forward to hearin’ about it tonight, yeah?” He claps a hand on Prompto’s shoulder and nods at the blond. “Go show him who’s boss. We’ll meet you at the bar.”

Prompto laughs and nods, hurrying off to the training room, passing through it to the locker room and putting his things in his locker while retrieving others. He pauses and fidgets and thinks for a second, wondering what he would need but figures he can let Cor tell him. He checks himself in the mirror, fixes his hair before he just slams his locker shut, flustered, and heads back out into the training room.

Cor waits for him near the training weapons, looking over them as if deciding which one to annihilate Prompto with before he turns when he hears someone approaching. They both pause when their gazes meet before the moment passes and the Marshall grabs two weapons from the rack and tosses one to Prompto.

Catching it, Prompto manages to do so without dropping it and shuffles to the middle of the floor with Cor. He wants to say something, perhaps address the tension, but he’s afraid to. Maybe he should wait til after, if there’s time?

“So, what’s your problem with melee weapons in general?” comes the sudden question that shatters Prompto’s train of thought and has him refocusing.

“Too close for comfort,” he admits, deciding honesty is best with Cor. “With ranged, even magic, I have time to calculate, assess. There’s safety from a distance.”

Something about his answer draws a small smile on Cor’s stoic face before it vanishes. “Quite true,” he agrees. “Close-ranged is fast, requires split-second decisions, so you’re right to be leery.” He shifts into a stance and motions for Prompto to step back. “I will show you some moves, and we’re going to practice them until you can do them in your sleep.”

Prompto’s eyes widen slightly. “Uh, how long are we planning to practice, sir?”

To his surprise, Cor laughs and he immediately flushes at the way those eyes crinkle and mouth curves. “Relax, Argentum,” the Marshall assures. “Only an hour. But I’ve seen you. An hour is plenty for when we have our sessions.”

There’s a hidden meaning to those words and Prompto wets his lips before he realizes what he’s done and he drops his weapon. He scrambles to pick it up and doesn’t miss the blush on Cor’s cheek when he flicks his gaze up at the older man.

“You ready?” Cor’s voice sounds a little rough.

Prompto nods and they begin.

At first, he’s overly intimidated by the amount of steps Cor executes in front of him, but Prompto pushes the feelings down and concentrates. He starts committing them to memory, ready when Cor stops and starts over, and by the third run-through, he’s ready to try. Cor goes through the steps two more times at Prompto’s side, with Prompto following a split-second behind, and by the sixth time, he’s got a sweat working up. He wipes his brow on the back of his arm as Cor turns to face him.

“Now, do them on your own,” he instructs. “I will do the counters.”

Prompto nods and starts, and Cor moves to block. They move slow, languid, a strange intimate dance Prompto is shocked to learn he knows the steps to. The positions and moves he’d just learned come flying back to him, and he starts to anticipate the moves Cor is using to counter him. It shocks him at first, glee overcoming him before it’s replaced by excitement, and he picks up the pace.

They fly through the positions faster than he expects, but Cor barks out an order to repeat them all and they resume without stopping. They go from a slow awkward shuffle to a fluid ballet of movement, and when Cor changes a counter and darts in close, Prompto has a moment of panic before something in his brain just _clicks_ and he blocks the attempted attack from the Marshall almost before he realizes it.

The practice weapons stop inches from his face, and Cor is right on the other side. Prompto’s wide-eyed and panting and Cor couldn’t look _prouder_. And whether or not it’s the adrenaline or just his own stupidity, Prompto closes the short distance between them and presses his lips to the Marshall’s, heart in his throat, desperate for a taste.

Cor stiffens in surprise and his weapon slips from his hands just as Prompto comes to his senses and stumbles back in horror.

“…oh, oh sh—!” he babbles before he drops his weapon and flees to the locker room. He tries desperately to fit inside his own locker and hide, but he can’t fit. However, no one comes in after him, and when he finally gains the balls to go check the training room, the weapons are back on the rack and Cor is nowhere to be found.

* * *

Prompto stays in the locker room, a confused mess, for a long time before it occurs to him he’s expected at the bar. He showers, changes, grabs his things and rushes out of the Citadel. The bar isn’t far, so he opts to walk instead of a bus or an Uber or whatever, and the clear air (well, if you city air clean) serves to help him clear his mind after what had happened in the training room.

He can’t get the thought of those lips against his own out of his head, or the feeling that Cor had been kissing him back just as he’d pulled away in terror at his own stupidity. But his heart weighs heavy at the reminder that Cor had left him, and now Prompto worries he’s ruined everything.

He worries what tomorrow will bring.

Reaching the bar, Prompto tries to forget what happened as he spots Noct and the others at a corner booth, hurrying over and squishing in next to the prince. Noctis is in the middle of telling a story and Prompto relaxes when he hears his best friend talk about Nyx hitting on him that morning, to which Gladio and Ignis are more than content to roast him for.

Nyx’s less-than-secret crush on Noctis is well-known between the four of them. It’s been one of those weird jokes that they’ve entertained for a while, although Ignis is quite protective of the prince and always gives the Glaive the eye when they pass in the hall. Noctis is still awkward and shy and hasn’t quite figured who or what he wants with the life he’s meant to lead, and he’s running out of time to experiment.

But no one’s pushing him towards something he may not want – they all just like to give him a hard time.

Prompto pouts when he realizes he doesn’t have a drink waiting for him, but he doesn’t hold it against his friends. None of them have a malicious bone in their body towards him, so he offers to get the next round just as his eyes fall on a familiar figure in the shadows at the end of the bar counter. His heart caches in his throat when he realizes it’s Cor.

Eyes quickly darting back to his friends to see if they’ve noticed, Prompto licks his lips nervously as Gladio shouts out a chorus of “NYX AND NOCT SITTIN’ IN A TREE” while Ignis pinches his brow and tries not to laugh and Noctis gives his Shield the finger.

A smile escapes Prompto’s lips as he slips from the table unnoticed and approaches the bar like a mouse trying to avoid a cat. He wants to make this look accidental – because it is! he didn’t know Cor would be here – but the Marshall’s head turns and those cold blue eyes find him immediately.

Prompto freezes the second he’s spotted, heart in his throat as he tries to figure out what to do, because now this looks _bad_. It looks like he’d followed Cor here but when the older man throws back the rest of his drink and lets out a huff, he blinks.

“I saw His Highness in here,” Cor explains, signaling the bartender for another drink. “Relax, Argentum.”

“Yeah, I uh, don’t think I can do that,” Prompto squeaks out. “Sir.”

Those eyes look back at him and he knows Cor is trying to figure him out, understand this situation too, but maybe this isn’t the best time. Too many listening ears. He opens his mouth to say something, but the bartender appears with Cor’s drink and asks Prompto what he wants. Quickly glancing back at the others in the booth, Prompto gives their drink orders to the man just as an arm grabs him and pulls him close.

When Prompto returns with a tray of drinks, Gladio and Noctis cheer as Ignis softly thanks the blond and stands to assist with the tray, but not before his eyes fall on Prompto’s pale neck freshly covered in stubble burn and bites. He stops and stares before he can help himself, drawing the attention of Gladio and Noctis as Prompto tries to pretend nothing is amiss and takes his seat next to the prince. He doesn’t hear their questions as he sips his drink and shoves his jacket in his lap, trying _not_ to think about the lisp that had been on his neck. Lips that had tasted, bitten; stubble that had scratched and burned, his face buried in Cor’s neck and smelling his cologne as his fingers fought to find something to grab onto. He’d been pulled close, a leg threaded between his own and he’d straddled a knee.

He still felt the hand that had fisted the back of his head and gripped his hair until his drinks were ready and it was over.

When he comes out of his daydream, Prompto realizes Noctis and Gladio are debating who left their mark on Prompto.

“Shut up, Noct, she _doesn’t even have a beard_,” Gladio corrects as Noctis scoffs, but when Prompto looks up, Ignis is watching him and has a knowing expression in his eyes. Blushing, Prompto looks away and sips his drink again, thinking the food menu is more interesting right now and opting to look at it instead.

When Prompto keeps quiet about the assault on his neck, the others eventually lose interest and Gladio asks about the one-on-one session with Cor. Nearly choking on his drink, Prompto sputters as Noctis smacks his back and coughs out a ‘thank you’ before managing to tell them what had happened without giving anything away.

They order their food after and when Prompto finally finds the nerve to look back at the bar, Cor is no longer there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, super sorry for the delay in posting (and any major errors I missed in this chapter). I think the war with my muse is over, but if you guys get impatient, feel free to follow on twitter or tumblr to see any updates I post about fics, or to ask me <3 
> 
> Also, please see the pinned tweet on my twitter regarding certain bills and a site you can help me out on with, since I can't mention it here. Heh.
> 
> (Bladder issues have turned into a mass being found on my bladder, so any...uh, financial assistance would be appreciated.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompto has needs and new partners.  
noctis makes an unfortunate discovery.  
cor has to make a decision.

It takes everything in Prompto to make it home after the bar, strip naked in record time, and fling himself into the shower before he can finally pleasure himself to the memory of Cor’s mouth on his neck. His fingers touch and feel and he can’t stop thinking about it, so hard he’s weeping as he rocks his hips into his hand and imagines he’s still straddling that knee. Cor had been so _firm_, and so rough, but _gentle_. Like he’d known what his touch could do and how to control it.

Yes! Prompto gasps in realization, nodding to no one as he squeezes and strokes. It’s the _control_. His knees wobble as he sags back against the shower wall, coming hard with thoughts of Cor and he carefully slides down to the floor, panting and wishing he had something to put inside himself. He needs to be _filled_.

And he shivers at the thought of that actually being a possibility with Cor now.

When morning comes and Prompto finally makes it to the Citadel, he hopes having his collar up will hide the marks on his neck. It seems to cover them _just _right and Prompto starts to suspect Cor strategically put them there. He wonders if perhaps Cor will be mad that he’s hiding them, but he doesn’t need the rumors, and perhaps, neither does Cor.

He reaches the courtyard after stopping in the locker room, only to find Cor already out there talking with Ignis and Gladio. He meets the Marshall’s gaze from the entryway and feels his face burst into flame. He stumbles his way past the older men over to where the other recruits are standing, and he feels eyes on him but he can’t look up.

He’s so anxious and antsy and gods, fucking _horny_, that he doesn’t know what he’s going to do all day practicing with Cor.

“Hey,” a voice says and he looks up to see the red-head he’d stood next to on the first day. “You okay?”

Prompto is at a loss for words, wondering what caused the shift in attitude, but he smiles and nods. “Y-yeah,” he assures, waving their concern off. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” the girl behind the red-head asks. “…You seem upset. And we’ve….kind of been jerks to you. We’re sorry.”

Prompto’s stunned by the change and one by one, the other recruits crowd around him to introduce themselves, some of them admitting they’re jealous of his relationship with Cor. The word throws Prompto for a loop until he realizes they mean his partnering with the Immortal, but he again waves their comments off and offers to practice with one of them today instead.

He doesn’t expect them to practically fall over each other for the chance and when Prompto looks past them to Cor, he finds the older man is watching him with a look in his eyes that Prompto doesn’t recognize at first.

And then he realizes, Cor is _jealous_.

To be fair, Prompto is happy the attitudes have shifted among the recruits, but he wants to be paired with Cor. He wants to practice with _Cor_. And seeing the look in those blue eyes has Prompto wondering how he’s going to manage before he acknowledges the challenge and prepares himself for it.

Now it’s up to Cor to see how _he_ handles it.

The other recruits end up fighting over the opportunity to partner with Prompto, which in the end, forces him to calm the storm by snatching the hand of the red-head, whose name turns out to be Trevyn, and announcing him winner. There’s a collective chorus of groans, drawing a laugh from the blond as he looks around at this sudden influx of friends he seems to have made.

“I’ll pair up with all of you, I promise! There’s plenty of me to go around.”

Prompto glances over his shoulder back at Cor, who looks at him just look enough to nod in acknowledgement before he turns away and selects Trevyn’s former partner as his trainee for the day. Feeling a sudden stab of jealousy, Prompto touches his neck absentmindedly until he feels eyes on him and glances up to find Gladio watching him.

Blushing, the blond turns back to Trevyn just as Ignis calls them to attention to start their warm-ups.

Fortunately, despite the change in partners, the day goes by fast for Prompto. Although Trevyn is a completely different partner than Cor in both mannerisms and talent, he seems eager to learn and practice with Prompto. It ends up giving Prompto a boost in confidence that he’s able to teach one of his peers everything he’s learned so far with Cor. He realizes he’s absorbed more than he’d thought, and that he’s improved drastically.

Trevyn’s already drastically improved by their noon break for lunch, to the point where he wants to back off and let someone else get in on the action before they’re dismissed. Prompto’s surprised, but he insists they can keep training together if Trevyn wants, but he’s ready to pass along what he’s learned to a new partner, and Prompto gets paired with the girl who’d apologized that morning with Trevyn.

Her name is Adria, it turns out, but her learning curve isn’t as fast as Trevyn’s. Prompto assures her that he’ll train with her some more, if she wants. He wants everyone to do well, and he’s feeling so amped after today’s training, that he’s looking forward to making more friends.

Both Adria and Trevyn thank Prompto emphatically once they’re dismissed for the day. Trevyn even invites Prompto out with his friends, but the blond is forced to decline and take a rain check.

“I have plans!” he insists, much to everyone’s disappointment.

Truth be told, he’s only hanging with Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio, but he wouldn’t pass that up for the world. Even though he knows they wouldn’t mind if he bailed one time, he wants to spend time with them. And besides, he was thoroughly looking forward to the promised pizza they’d weaseled out of Ignis the previous night at the bar.

He waves his new friends off, goes to get his things, but when he looks around to find Cor, the man has disappeared. Frowning, Prompto tries not to take it personally and heads off to the locker room, deciding to shower there tonight so that he can head straight to Noctis’s after.

Nodding to Gladio as he walks inside, Prompto goes straight to his locker and starts to get what he nees for a quick shower. He’s barely finished when he hears someone behind him and turns around with a gasp to find Cor standing there. Heart leaping into his throat, Prompto is shoved back against the wall next to the lockers as the Marshal leans in close, smelling of sweat and cologne.

“I’m the only one who gets to break you down and build you up to your full potential,” Cor growls in Prompto’s ear, earning a shiver from the pinned youth against him.

Before Prompto can help it, a whimper of “break me” escapes his lips and Cor crushes theirs together in a powerful possessive kiss. Prompto’s hands drop what he’s holding in order to grip the man pressing into him, curling a hand into the short strands of Cor’s hair as the other bunches the man’s shirt.

But then Cor pulls back, and they share heavy breaths before the Immortal speaks again. “Don’t let them touch you that much,” he commands in a gravely tone, and Prompto can only eagerly nod in understanding as one of Cor’s hands finds his ass.

“Only you.”

* * *

Wandering into the Citadel to round up his friends on a surprise visit, Noctis heads to the courtyard first to hopefully find all three of them and make this mission a quick success. But when he arrives, he finds it vacant. With a frown, Noctis checks his phone again and his frown deepens when no one has yet to reply to his initial text. Sighing, he decides to check the locker room next, but freezes when he spots his father and Clarus coming around the corner, talking excitedly.

Quickly hiding before they can see him, Noctis lifts a brow when they pass him by without noticing, engaged in a conversation about the next prank they plan to pull on Cor.

“…I still think we should’ve shrink wrapped everything in his office,” Regis is saying as they walk down the hall, but Clarus shakes his head in protest.

“Too tame,” he protests. “If it doesn’t give him a good scare, it isn’t worth it to do anything in his office!”

“Hmm, perhaps,” Regis concedes as he leans against Clarus mid-stride. “We’d need to set up something to record it, next time. There’s nowhere to really hide and watch from.”

Noctis can only stare after his dad and Clarus in shock at their antics and brazen affection, watching them round the other corner without noticing the prince in the shadows. He shakes his head at what he’d just witnessed and continues on to the training room, just as Gladio shows up behind him.

“Sup, princess?”

Growling up at the other man, Noctis shakes his head. “Just trying to find you guys,” he says, deciding to ignore the nickname for now. “Where is everyone? No one’s replied to my text.”

“Iggy had a quick errand to run upstairs,” Gladio replies as he sets down his bag. “Not sure where Prom ran off to. Probably in the locker room cleanin’ up, if I had to guess.”

Nodding, Noctis decides to go in and check, at least to hear if the showers are running and confirm his friend is indeed in there, but as he crosses the training room and heads towards the lockers, he hears noises he can’t quite figure out. He turns the corner past the open doorway and comes to a full halt at the sight that greets him.

Grinding on his best friend is the man he practically considers an uncle – Cor, in all his glory, has Prompto pinned to the wall, locked in a messy kiss, while fully engaged in some sort of hedonic grinding motion that drains the blood from the prince’s face. Prompto’s whimpering and clawing at the Marshall’s back, moving with him in a rhythm that will give them both what they need and it’s all Noctis can do to pull himself away from the sight and stagger back into the training room.

The sounds follow him even as he approaches Gladio with a look on his face like he’s seen a ghost. Gladio throws a training sword at him in an attempt to suggest they should practice while they wait before he notices the look on the younger man’s face and lifts a brow. “What the fuck, Noct?”

Without missing a beat, Noctis blurts out, “I just saw my uncle with his tongue down Prom’s throat, _okay_?!”

Gladio practically chokes at the declaration, covering his mouth with his fingers like he’s about to vomit. “Oh, fucking _Six_, please don’t tell me you mean my dad—”

Noctis shudders and flails at the implication. “_Gods no, I meant COR.”_

Falling to his knees in sweet relief, it takes a minute before Gladio blinks in recognition of what Noctis had said and he looks back up at the prince in shock. “Cor?” he exclaims before he recalls the stubble burn on Prompto’s neck the night before and the way the two had been behaving at training recently. It all starts to make sense to him as a wave of jealousy crashes over him.

He could’ve given Prompto better stubble burn than that. “How the fuck did he get Cor?” he mumbles to himself as Noctis lifts a brow this time.

Gladio? Jealous?

“Man, could you imagine if your dad had scored with Prom before you did?” the prince finds himself teasing with a grin, anything to get the image of Cor and Prompto dry humping out of his head. Though, he realizes with disappointment, that Clarus replacing Cor does _not_ make the image any better. He shudders.

“Ugh, Noct,” Gladio gets to his feet with a scowl. “That’s my _dad_, not Prompto’s _daddy_.”

But Noctis can’t help a laugh, wiry and uncomfortable as it is, just as pleasured sounds of a heightened nature reach their ears and neither one of them can help blushing as images of what's transpiring in the adjacent room flood their heads. Prompto isn’t quiet in bed – noted.

Silence follows after, and before either Gladio and Noctis can leave, Prompto sways out of the training room with his things in hand conveniently covering the front of his pants, stumbling as if he’s forgotten how his legs work. He sees both the prince and his Shield, but doesn’t think anything of it, just brightens the already big grin on his face.

“Hey guys!” he exclaims. “I have to go home real quick, but I’ll see you later for pizza?” He staggers out of the training room without waiting for a response, humming happily to himself.

Yeah, he totally just got laid. Or, well, the next best thing.

Noctis and Gladio can only stare after Prompto as they watch him leave, mouths dropping open at the sheer nerve Prompto displays after audibly orgasming and walking out to greet his audience. But maybe it hadn’t occurred to him that they’d heard – he’d clearly still been on cloud nine.

A few minutes later, Cor appears from within the locker room, and he only briefly halts when he realizes that he and Prompto had had listeners. He hides the twitch in his expression and nods to Gladio and Noctis. “Gentlemen,” he says before continuing out without stopping again.

Certain they’re alone now, Gladio and Noctis meet gazes before Gladio barks out a laugh. “Please tell me you saw the bite mark on his neck.”

“Ugh, _Gladio_.”

* * *

Despite how much the evening had brought him pleasure, and despite how much he’d loved giving in to his temptations by rutting into Prompto til they’d both came, Cor found himself in a situation. He knows that he’s crossed a line he can’t come back from, but he has no intention of breaking Prompto’s heart, not if he can help it. It’s not Prompto’s fault that Cor hadn’t been able to stop himself, and he wanted this – plus, there wasn’t anything actually wrong with what they were doing.

But he didn’t think he could continue being an efficient teacher while fucking his student on the side. And he fully expected their relationship to come to that – pun intended. He had every intention of having the blond to himself, in every way.

Though, even if there wasn’t anything technically wrong with what they were doing, it could still land both of them in a lot of trouble. It was Cor’s job to train the new batches of recruits there to serve the royal family, and becoming involved with one didn’t look good for anyone. The wrong person could find out and all hell would break loose. Someone could accuse him of something wrong, someone could enforce that Cor not be allow around Prompto.

And Cor couldn’t have that. He couldn’t have someone tell him that he was forbidden from seeing Prompto. Not now.

With a resigned sigh, Cor makes his way to his office to take care of this before he changes his mind and complicates things. It feels like a march of death in one way because he knows it’s going to upset Prompto before the kid understands what Cor is doing for them. He knows things are going to get worse before they get better, but he hopes that Prompto will understand. If not, he could be ruining things forever.

When he reaches his office, however, Cor feels something is off the second his fingers touch the doorknob. He hesitates before deciding he’s still coming down from the high of what he’d just finished doing in the locker room and opens his door regardless of what he’s feeling...

…To an explosion of glitter.

Stiffening as it rains down over him, Cor quickly notices the string attached to the knob attached to a trigger hanging over his door with the now-mostly empty bag of glitter swaying overhead. He grits his teeth when he hears the cackling of Regis and Clarus from the end of the hall and turns a steely eye over his shoulder towards them.

“Of course, you know this means war,” he calls to them before stepping inside and shutting his door to the echoes of their laughter. He sighs, glancing around at the festivity now covering him, his floor, and desk, wishing it would make what he was about to do any easier.

And now, he has to plan something massive to get them back at with.

He wishes the glitter would’ve made it impossible to do it. It’s still drifting down from the bag in soft gentle currents, like he was in some alternate fairy universe.

Another sigh escapes his lips as Cor approaches his desk and sweeps the glitter off his chair before he sits down, sweeping more off the surface of his desk onto the floor. He turns over his keyboard and beats it free of as much glitter as he can before he turns on his computer and starts typing.

“_Effective immediately: cancellation of role as teacher for student Prompto Argentum. Reassignment requested.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for sticking with me with this one <3 as always PLEASE COMMENT if you're reading and enjoying, i really need to hear from yo guys to know this fic has followers for such a rarepair. also, if you like vampire aus, please go check out "Tastes Like Sunshine" <s>yes i know i use sunshine in my titles too much, so sue me</s>.. that fic isn't getting a lot of love, so i'm hoping to try and get more interest for it!
> 
> please feel free to friend me on twitter and tumblr, and please check out my pinned tweet for ways you can help me, thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompto gets the news.  
gladio gets jealous.  
stuff happens in cor's office.

The next morning finds Prompto in high spirits. He’s still on Cloud Nine, which maybe is silly because all he’d done was mess around with Cor in the locker room, but isn’t that enough? Well, no, it’s not _enough_ – there’s plenty more for them to do going forward, but that’s not the point! They’d breached the gap, cut off all uncertainty, all Prompto needed was the confirmation of a relationship.

But would Cor agree?

Prompto plans to find out today, although a part of him worries he’s pushing things too fast. Then again, Cor had pinned _him_ in the locker room, not the other way around. This was as consensual in terms of speed as they could get. Prompto assures himself he’s got nothing to worry about.

With a smile, Prompto gets ready for the day, but as he eats breakfast, his thoughts drift to the night before. The others, save for Ignis, had been acting funny. Noctis kept staring at him and Gladio seemed almost disappointed. He’s not sure what that had been about, but they hadn’t said much when he’d asked, so he’d enjoyed his pizza as planned.

They definitely didn’t know about Cor.

Finishing up, Prompto heads off to the Citadel, whistling to himself and smiling more. He’s just in _such_ a good mood, he doesn’t expect anything to bring him down. He arrives a few minutes later, stops off in the locker room to put up some of his things, glancing to the side with a blush before he hurries out to the courtyard.

But Cor isn’t there – only Gladio and Ignis.

Well, that doesn’t mean anything, but surely Cor wants to see Prompto too, right?

Prompto waves to his new friends, but hovers by Gladio and Ignis for the obvious reasons, making small talk while he starts stretching, hoping maybe Cor will show up while he’s mid-stretch and give the other man some ideas. But five minutes before they’re supposed to start and Cor still hasn’t shown up.

“Huh,” Prompto muses, an uneasiness growing in his stomach. “Where’s Cor?”

Gladio and Ignis share a look before the big guy clears his throat and shifts uncomfortably. “Uh, he…” he tries to say before Ignis rolls his eyes and steps over.

“I’m afraid he’s been reassigned, Prompto.”

Prompto doesn’t know if he understands the implications of those words just yet, blinking as he tilts his head. “…What?”

“Reassigned,” Ignis repeats softly. “He will no longer be teaching this class of recruits.”

Prompto struggles to keep his breath from quickening, or the worry from spreading. “…W-why?” he asks, the worry breaking through that someone knew about the two of them. “Is he okay?”

“…It was voluntary,” Ignis admits, in no mood to lie to Prompto.

The news cuts through the blond like a knife and he takes a step back before he turns and leaves the courtyard. Gladio frowns and looks to Ignis, who nods.

“I will manage the class, but please, do hurry and return.”

Gladio hurries after Prompto back inside, heading to the locker room where he expects to find the blond, but when he gets there, Prompto has found Noctis instead. The prince looks like he just rolled out of bed and isn’t prepared for this emotional ambush, but nevertheless, is holding his crying friend on the floor like he means it.

Their gazes meet and Noctis knows Gladio would rather be the one holding Prompto, but they both remain quiet until Prompto is ready to talk, which comes sooner than they expected.

“I don’t understand!” Prompto sniffles through his tears, pulling back to wipe at his face with the back of his hand. “Everything was f-fine!” His face scrunches as he fights another wave of tears off and he glances up briefly at Gladio. “I thought…we were gonna get to keep doing one on ones, and he’d show me everything!”

While Prompto isn’t looking, Gladio and Noctis look at each other, but Prompto looks up just in time and makes a face, tears briefly forgotten. “Oh, come _on_, guys,” he says. “I meant on the floor!”

But despite the discomfort of imagining Prompto with Cor, Noctis fails to stifle an ugly snort, which sets off Gladio.

Realizing his correction hadn’t been any better, Prompto’s cheeks color but even he has to crack a smile. “You guys…” he whines softly, wiping at his face again. “I’m serious. We didn’t even get to hand to hand combat, imagining being thrown on the floor by Cor…”

“_Prom…_” Noctis protests through his laughs and Prompto puffs up in response.

“I meant in _training_.”

But Gladio is hanging on those words, noting with interest that Prompto likes to be _manhandled_. Before he can speak up, however, Noctis is talking, back on a serious note when he notes the moment of laughter has passed.

“Maybe you should go talk to him,” the prince is suggesting, hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “I mean, we all know Cor – he’s direct. He didn’t do this to be a jerk and avoid you, I promise.”

Prompto sniffles and looks from Noctis to Gladio and back. “You think?” he asks before scoffing and scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. “I feel like an _idiot_.”

Gladio’s disappointment deepens the more he watches Prompto’s reaction – the reactions of someone fearing true heartbreak. He doesn’t have a _chance_.

“I’ll tell Iggy you’ll be late,” he assures with a slight smile and a nod, turning to go with Prompto’s thanks calling after him.

They both watch him go before Noctis looks back at his friend and gives his shoulder a squeeze. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a jerk to Cor for doing this,” he suggests with a slight grin.

Prompto laughs and nods, sitting back on his heels as he shakes his head and tries to assure himself he wasn’t just an emotional wreck for nothing. The silence lingers between him and his best friend for longer than he means to before Noctis clears his throat.

“…So, Cor.” He looks up at Prompto. “…Really?”

A small smile reaches the blond’s lips as he blushes and shrugs. “Yeah…”

Noctis echoes the shrug and smiles encouragingly. “I don’t get it, but I don’t have to,” he says with a nod, clapping Prompto on the arm. “Go get him.”

Prompto takes a deep breath, slaps his cheeks a couple of times and hops to his feet. “Time to get some answers!” he exclaims, emboldened. “Thanks, buddy!”

Noctis watches his friend go, sighing and rubbing at his face as he gets to his feet, just as someone emerges from the locker room. He jumps, startled, before spotting Nyx and he sighs in exasperation, turning to go.

“Cor and your friend?” the Kingslaive inquires as he crosses the room. “_Really_?”

Twitching, Noctis turns back to the older man, glaring up at him. “Keep it quiet, okay?”

The corner of Nyx’s mouth tugs up at those words and he leans in close upon approach. “What’ll you give me?”

Noctis sputters at the question, about to turn and leave until Nyx turns his head and taps his cheek expectantly. It takes the prince several seconds to realize the Kingsglaive is implying he kiss it. He stares, open-mouthed before pursing his lips and deciding if it means keeping his best friend’s secret safe, he will.

Just as he leans in to do the deed, Nyx turns his face and instead of kissing a cheek, Noctis is kissing the Kingsglaive’s lips. It’s a longer delay to his brain than it should be for him to realize that he’s been tricked, and he pulls back with a gasp and an angry blush. Nyx has the audacity to look sheepish as he meets Noctis’s gaze, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Heh,” he laughs. “Surprise.”

There’s a hesitant, awkward silence between them. Then, Noctis darts forward, plants another quick kiss on Nyx’s lips, and warps out of the training room, doors swinging shut behind him.

* * *

Upstairs, Cor churns through paperwork like a man on a mission. Anything, to get his mind off his decision the night before, and the likely scenario playing out on the courtyard once Prompto discovers the truth. He feels like an ass – right decision or not – and wonders if maybe he should’ve talked to the kid first. Nothing about what he did was meant to be hurtful – yet he’d known it would upset Prompto. Why hadn’t he talked to the boy first?

The question comes to mind and Cor pauses from the form he’s filling out to dwell on his thoughts a moment longer. He doesn’t get to think for long – the door to his office flies open and an angry, flushed, and red-eyed blond is standing there.

_Oh boy_.

Knowing what’s coming, Cor sets his pen down and pushes the form away, folding his hands on his desk as Prompto enters the office and slams the door shut behind him. A pause follows as they stare each other down, but Cor knows Prompto’s just building up his nerve to shout down his idol.

“So, that’s it?” Prompto finally bursts, throwing his hands up. “You’re no longer interested now that you got what you wanted? Refuse to teach me now? What about the things you said to me yesterday? About the others touching me? That just a thing of the past now that I’m used goods?!”

Despite the onslaught, Cor’s face remains impassive as he watches and listens. He says nothing, does nothing, until he’s certain the outburst is finished. Prompto watches with uncertainty, worried he’s right even more when Cor does nothing.

Was he an idiot for thinking Cor wanted something deeper with a kid? Was he already bored? Or were those jokes about ‘one and done’ really about him, and not Prompto? So wrapped up in his thoughts, Prompto had stopped paying attention to Cor until he hears the door lock behind him and whips around to face the Immortal.

Prompto stares up into those blue eyes and sees that blank expression for what it is. A part of him feels a sense of pride for being able to read Cor’s stoic face, and then he’s suddenly being lifted from the floor and tossed on the desk in a flurry of movement and papers.

“I was only avoiding the paperwork involved in filing a potential student/teacher scandal,” Cor says as he closes the distance between them and leans over the blond. “No paperwork now.”

“No paperwork…” Prompto’s heart practically explodes in relief at those words. He feels like a _complete_ idiot for his overreaction mere minutes ago downstairs in front of his friends, but as long as Cor doesn’t find out about him being a sobbing mess, he’ll be okay.

The Marshall’s face hovers inches above his own and those eyes pierce through Prompto as he looks over him. “I refuse to be put in a position where someone would be allowed to tell me I can’t have you,” he growls, kissing Prompto suddenly and possessively. “Except you.”

Prompto stares up, speechless, but Cor isn’t finished.

“This way, no one can interfere,” he adds. “I’m no longer your instructor.” He presses another possessive, hungry kiss to Prompto’s lips and lingers. “It killed me to send that missive. To know the hurt it would cause, and the idea of not being the one to work that ass on the floor…”

“It killed me,” Prompto whines, curling one hand around the back of Cor’s neck and squirming beneath him. “Work it here?”

Cor kisses a stubbly trail down Prompo’s jawline and neck, biting as he braces himself over the younger man. “Thinking of the others with their hands on you,” he rumbles against warm skin. “Makes me want to mark it well enough so that _everyone_ from _every_ angle knows you’re taken.”

Prompto lets out an unintelligible whine of words, fingers digging into Cor’s skin.

“I’m going to work you in _here_,” the Immortal declares on sudden inspiration, drawing back with a gleam in his eye. “You won’t be able to move any part of yourself without thinking of me.”

“_Please_…” Prompto practically begs, hanging on to every word, so needy he’s about to burst.

But to his shock and dismay, Cor pulls back with a shake of his head. “No, not on the desk, not like this,” he says. “On your feet, Argentum. You’re going to _work_ for it.”

Prompto blinks, confused, but he gets up as told and stands in front of the other man, ready and willing to do whatever. Cor studies him for a moment, then reaches to slip his hands under the fabric of Prompto’s uniform shirt.

“Do a squat,” Cor instructs, “and hold it.”

Prompto’s eyes widen slightly, but he nods and slowly lowers himself into a squat. As he does, Cor’s hands lift the shirt off his body, but he says nothing as he tosses it to the side. He studies Prompto a moment longer, even when he sees the young man’s thighs tremble as he fights to stay in position. A brief smile crosses his face, a hand slipping into Prompto’s hair before he tugs the young man’s head back gently and bends down to bite and kiss at the exposed neck.

Out of the corner of his eye, Cor sees Prompto’s hands twitch, ready to grab on to something – Cor, even – but the younger man’s restraint impresses him. He tugs Prompto back up to his feet, kisses him again, deeply, hungrily, back against the desk, allows those wandering hands to rid him of his shirt too before he pulls back. Hands move to undo Prompto’s buckle next, his workout routine starting to fade from his mind the more his libido kicks in.

“Another squat,” Cor rasps as his hands undo his own pants, pushing them down as Prompto lowers back down.

This time, Prompto takes the initiative. Using his hands to balance himself only to free Cor’s cock, Prompto stops briefly to admire its girth and length before shifting forward a little and taking it into his mouth with a soft moan. He looks up and meets Cor’s stoic expression, but he reads in the other man’s eyes, the pleasure and approval of his decision. He feels the burn of his thighs already building from the first squat he’d done, but despite his shaking legs, Prompto bobs his head and uses his mouth to give Cor the best blow job he can manage.

The wet, sloppy sounds fill the silence of the office as Prompto takes Cor in as much as he can, hollows his cheeks, swirls his tongue, and occasionally draws back to tease the tip. He’s only ever given a couple of blow jobs in his life, but he’s always enjoyed them, and desperate to please Cor, he’s pulling out all the stops he can without overdoing it.

Just as he thinks his legs will give up on him, Cor’s hips are slightly jerking into his mouth, following him when he draws back each time, and Prompto’s chest swells with pride when he’s stopped from continuing. He glances up, finding the Immortal’s cheeks and neck flushed, and he’s pulled up from the squat into another kiss.

“You do yoga?” Cor growls when they break apart and Prompto nods. He used to! “Downward dog, now.”

Prompto doesn’t hesitate, in the position instantly. His thighs appreciate the break, but if he’s expected to hold the position a while, his arms are going to hate him. He realizes as Cor walks behind his desk and digs through a drawer, that they’re about to have sex, but his nerves aren’t exactly rattled. Maybe he should be disappointed Cor isn’t the loving, romancing in bed type, but the fact that he’s already done two squats for the man, blew him while doing one, not to mention what he’s doing now _and_ their experience in the locker room – Prompto really doesn’t mind.

There’s time for romance later. They’re both adult men acting on their sexual instincts, nothing wrong with that.

By the time Prompto’s thoughts come around, a hand slides along his ass and then a lubed finger slips inside of him. He gasps, jerking with surprise before he tries to look over his shoulder up at Cor. His arms are starting to burn, but he can handle it. Besides, he can always come down onto his arms if he has to, he’s sure Cor would appreciate the angle.

The finger presses in slowly, exploring, stretching, while Cor’s other hand caresses Prompto’s ass and lower backside. “Come up a little,” he hears the husky, lowered voice request, and Prompto complies, coming back onto his legs and lifting off his arms a little. The burn eases and Cor slips another finger in, earning a whimper from the blond.

“…I should’ve asked,” Cor says after a moment, “although it’s a bit late, this is okay, right?”

“Cor,” Prompto whines, pushing back into those fingers. “If you don’t work me over as promised, I am going to _kill_ you, man.”

A breathy laugh escapes Cor’s lips as he pushes his fingers in again, adding a third. Prompto doesn’t have the leverage he needs to really push back into those digits the way he wants, but he has a feeling, when it comes time for Cor’s dick to replace them, he won’t need to worry.

Sure enough, Cor pulls his fingers free a few minutes later and Prompto tries to look over and watch the other man eagerly, spotting the condom, the lube – toes curling into the hard floor in preparation. He can’t believe he’s doing this.

“Ready?”

Prompto leans back in response, but Cor pushes him forward. “Yes,” he pleas. “_Please_.”

He doesn’t have to ask twice. He feels the pressure of Cor’s dick at his entrance and then the man pushes inside of him. Bigger than expected, Prompto grits his teeth as he adjusts, but then the sensation of being filled takes precedence, and he pushes back into that dick until it brushes against his prostate. His arms tremble and he lowers himself onto his forearms, knees bending to take the strain off his legs. Cor moves with him, bends his knees and braces himself with one arm on the desk, and starts fucking. The angle gives him an all-access pass to Prompto’s prostate, and it’s taking everything within the blond to keep from screaming in pleasure. He’s whimpering and panting and writhing underneath Cor, desperate for more, _needing_ more. He begs for it.

And Cor gives it. Thrusting harder, sweat drips down his face and neck, onto Prompto’s body beneath him. He tugs the blond closer with his free hand, pulling him back with each thrust forward, going as deep as he’s allowed, lewd wet skin-slapping noises filling the gaps of sound that Prompto’s whimpers and moans fail to.

“Straighten your arms,” he grits out, intent on working Prompto like he’d claimed. He doesn’t want to kill the poor boy, but if Prompto manages to walk without trouble after this _and_ lift his arms, Cor will feel a little disappointed.

Like a good boy, Prompto lifts his arms back up, and for show, does a push up, that draws a breathy chuckle from Cor as he thrusts harder, firmer. Prompto jerks with the thrusts, crying out before biting on his lip to shut himself up, but Cor stopped caring. He feels the familiar, almost distant, pleasure coiling with each thrust. He’s aching for release, his stomach tense with the impending arrival, but he fights it off, wanting this to last.

But Prompto’s dam breaks fast. A few more direct thrusts on that bundle of nerves and Prompto comes hard with a cry of Cor’s name, spilling onto the floor as he clenches and jerks until he’s spent. Cor’s hands tighten on the desk and Prompto’s hip, hard enough to bruise as the blond clamps down around him, finally coming and filling the condom.

He’s impressed when, despite his shaking arms, Prompto holds himself up while Cor finishes inside, a few more desperate jerks of his hips signaling it’s over. He pulls free, carefully disposes of the condom, as Prompto collapses onto the floor, unable to hold himself up anymore.

Even Cor’s winded as he moves to lay next to Prompto, turning the blond into his arms and checking to make sure he’s okay. Their gazes meet and their lips press together, softly, the hunger and possession gone, replaced by a tender concern and affection.

Prompto smiles up at Cor when they break apart, a soft laugh of disbelief escaping him. “…That was _awesome_.”

And even Cor has to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope this cheers some of y'all up with all the stuff going on. didn't think I was gonna be able to write, but ffxv is my safe place LOL <3
> 
> hang in there, guys <3 and please comment to let me know what you're thinking about this fic. i need to hear from, i promise anything you say is valid and worth saying :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cor has some worries,  
prompto puts them to rest  
noctis gets more than he bargained for

True to Cor’s word, Prompty can barely walk out of the older man’s office, but he does so with pride. He glances over his shoulder back at the Marshall and sees that same pride reflected in those blue eyes, the only thing that ever gives that man away and Prompto feels like he’s special for being able to read them. He turns the corner, hears the door shut behind him, and smiles more as he dusts more glitter off his pants.

Cor wouldn’t explain why they’d wound up covered in it after laying on the floor post-sex, but it was ingrained in the carpet and now stuck to their skin.

Although it takes him what feels like ages, Prompto manages to return to the courtyard. He doesn’t know how he’ll get through training, but he will do his damndest to try. Every inch of his body aches, but every second of it reminds him of what he’d done with Cor and he can’t keep the shit-eating grin off his face as he steps outside.

Just as he arrives at the courtyard, he hears someone call out behind him and turns his head to see Noctis jogging after him. He blushes as he looks away, wondering if he should be honest about what had just happened between him and Cor. There’s a hand on his shoulder and he winces before he can help himself, and Noctis immediately frowns.

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

Mistaking Prompto’s embarrassment for shame or fear, Noctis grows angry, unable to believe Cor would hurt his friend, but when Prompto looks at him, realization dawns on him and he turns red. “Went that well, huh?”

Prompto sags against the wall, muscles and strength spent. “It was a _workout_,” he sighs contently, sliding to the floor.

Noctis frowns in concern, kneeling beside Prompto as heavy footsteps approach from the direction of the courtyard. Both youths look up to see Gladio running over with concern plastered on his face, but he reads the situation in a heartbeat and comes to a stop with nothing to say. He can only swallow and push his heart further into his stomach.

In fact, Noctis is actually a little aggravated. He doesn’t understand why Cor would _do_ this. Prompto can barely function, and while it was clearly a consensual thing and he’d enjoy it, his best friend clearly can’t make it through training today. Possibly even tomorrow.

That’s interfering with his progress in becoming a Crownsguard to the prince. Why would Cor think this was okay?

A few seconds later, Ignis appears at Gladio’s side and also assesses the situation, a twitch on his eyebrow the only thing that gives away what he thinks of this. Noctis glances up at them, nodding his silent agreement as Prompto’s head drops back against the wall with a soft _thump_ and contented sigh, just as the prince pulls a potion from the Armiger and smashes it on Prompto’s shoulder.

Blue-violet eyes snap open. “What? Noooooo….” He whines in protest, already feeling the pleasurable burn fading away.

“Your extracurricular proclivities aside,” Ignis says, coming to Noctis’s defense. “Do you really think you’re in any position to benefit from today’s training in that state?”

Prompto looks at each of them in confusion and frustration. “What?” he sputters. “You don’t understand, Iggy! None of you do!”

Cor rounds the corner as they speak, coming to a surprised stop when he finds them all in the hall with Prompto. Noctis gets to his feet and stomps over to the Immortal, puffed up and angry.

“Stop making my future retinue unable to function!”

Gaze dropping to the prince in front of him, Cor lifts an eyebrow. “In the field, you may have to engage in battle in _any_ state you are currently in,” he says. “This was also training. Don’t interfere.”

It’s Ignis’s turn to sputter as he approaches from the end of the hallway. “I certainly beg to differ.”

Prompto looks up with a frown, meeting Cor’s eyes from over Noctis’s head before suddenly he’s being lifted from the floor and thrown over a shoulder. He beats on the thick muscle futilely, protesting being carried away for whatever reason Gladio has.

“Looks like you’ve already had a hell of a workout today,” Gladio says as he heads towards the training room. “Let’s get you workin’ on some stretches and ease that buildup.” He pauses as he passes through the doors and sets Prompto down. “The better you stretch and heal, the more you can do and take next time?”

Prompto quiets as he listens, blinking in surprise and then smiling up at the big guy. He misses the visible sadness in those amber eyes as he throws himself against Gladio to hug him in gratitude.

As they settle into stretches, the bickering of Cor and Ignis reach their ears, but neither pay attention to the eyes watching them from the door. Cor studies Prompto, then Gladio, noting the visible heartbreak the future Shield fails to hide.

Cor hates that he’s already wondering whether or not he’s the best thing for Prompto.

* * *

The following morning, Cor finds himself at breakfast in the main dining hall, lost in thought over Prompto still. Ever since he’d watched the blond stretch with Gladio, he hadn’t been able to pull himself away from thoughts he shouldn’t be thinking.

_Is_ he too old for Prompto? Will the youth tire of him?

Cor doesn’t have poor body image or anything of the sort, but why hadn’t Prompto gone for someone like Gladio? Clearly interested, plenty to offer, closer in age? Hell, Gladio is far from Cor’s type, but even _he_ can see the appeal in that beefcake.

A soft snort escapes his lips at the thought and Cor sips his drink as the doors open to admit Regis and Clarus. He hasn’t seen them since the glitter debacle the other day, and his revenge has been effectively planned and ready for activation. He glances their way and greets them politely, not forgetting his manners, but he keeps small talk to a minimum.

Let them think he’s still mad.

Cor bides his time as they take their seats and start eating, waiting for the moment when his plan would finally go into effect. It doesn’t take long. Regis notices the curtains are drawn on the windows rather quickly, brow furrowing as he studies them.

“Why aren’t the curtains drawn?” he asks Cor, who simply shrugs and finishes his food.

Clarus lifts a brow, thinking their revenge lies behind one of the windows – not sure how that would work – and rises to his feet…

…Only he can’t. He glances down in alarm, jerks himself up, but he’s firmly glued to the chair. Regis looks over in confusion, realizes the situation and tries to stand, but finds himself in the same situation. Cor finally breaks a smile and a soft laugh escapes his lips as Regis and Clarus look at him in surprise.

“It’s about time someone put you in your place, Highness,” the Marshall says as he rises to his feet and set his napkin on the table. “I am very much looking forward to hearing how you get out of this one.”

Cor takes pride in the feeling of those gazes following him out the room, and the bickering that ensues once the doors fall shut behind him. He’s smiling all the way to his office, although the smile fades when he’s reminded of his problem.

Perhaps he should talk to Prompto, perhaps he shouldn’t worry. After all, Prompto has been friends with Gladio for quite some time – perhaps Gladio isn’t his type? But Cor knows he’s just beating around the bush from the real problem – he’s not worried about Gladio, he’s worried about himself.

Is he _right_ for Prompto?

He spends the morning doing paperwork and making a few calls regarding some issues involving Niflheim. There have been more talks of movement later, rumors of things the enemy is doing, while rumors of peace and a truce float around too. It’s a headache, but things must be in place for every situation and Cor has his fingers in enough pies dealing with the king and Drautos and whoever else wanted to be involved in his problems.

He’s lost track of the time when a knock sounds at the door – a quick glance at the clock tells him it’s lunchtime. He lifts an eyebrow but ruffles through some papers as he calls for whoever it is to enter. He should’ve expected Prompto on the other side, but is surprised nevertheless to see him.

“Hey,” he greets nervously with an awkward wave as he steps into the office. “Wanted to see if you were free for lunch?”

Cor’s eyes smile a bit as he nods and scoots back from his desk. “Oh?” He tilts his head. “What are we having for lunch?”

Prompto locks the door without looking and his smile turns devious. “Me.”

The smile vanishes from those blue eyes, replaced by a sudden hunger Prompto can’t mistake for anything else. He hurries around to the other side of Cor’s desk, fumbling with his belt and pants as Cor scoots further back from his desk to allow Prompto room.

“Top drawer,” he growls to the blond as he starts undoing his own belt, watching Prompto shove his pants down, open the drawer, find the lube and condoms before he crawls onto Cor’s lap hastily. He hands the items to Cor and kisses him, holding his face and deepening it with a desire that blasts Cor’s doubts to pieces. He feels Prompto’s cock against his stomach, already hard, and he sits up to pin it between them while he moves and preps the younger man.

Prompto whines against him as a finger slips in, grinding down into it as he continues tasting and kissing Cor. He gasps when the kiss breaks and Cor moves down to his neck, finding fading marks to renew them as one finger turns into two, then three. He feels a wetness on his shirt and knows he’ll have to change it, Prompto’s leaking against him and it was his fault for not pulling his shirt up in the first place, but Cor finds he doesn’t care.

Pulling his fingers free, Cor slips on the condom, readies himself, then plunges up into Prompto, swallowing the scream of pleasure that he’d loosed from the blond’s lips. Prompto pulls back, panting and moaning softly with each thrust up inside of him, he sits down hard each time, needing the way Cor goes so deep inside of him and loving the burn this gives his thighs. His hands slide up to cradle the Marshall’s head, stroking the short dark locks as they move and grind and thrust together.

Eventually Cor lifts Prompto’s shirt, exposing his chest and bending down to lick and kiss it. He decides to experiment, teasing one pert nipple with his tongue before taking the bud into his mouth. Prompto gasps and shudders against him, moans heightened and breaths laced with pleasured whimpers. He loves this so much, but he needs _more._

“Fuck me,” he pleads, whimpering as he drives himself down onto Cor’s cock.

Maybe if he weren’t in the middle of passionate sex, Cor would’ve thought this through better, but he stands with Prompto still in his lap and sets the blond on his desk, shifting before he slams inside and resumes their intense pace. Prompto cries out and grips the desk white-knuckled, legs once clinging to Cor’s lips as he’d stood, now fall open for the Immortal to move him as he pleased.

There’s no hesitation from Cor as he hooks his arms under Prompto’s knees and jerks the youth against him, bare ass flush against Cor’s thighs. Prompto moves with his newfound lover, rolling his hips, learning his rhythm, feeling the intensity build his pending orgasm. The pleasure builds with each thrust, closer and closer, warmth coiling in his stomach as his toes curl and stars blind his sight. Cor finds the angle that hits that spot inside of him over and over until he’s screaming Cor’s name and coming as his vision goes white.

Cor watches white paint Prompto’s stomach, shirt barely out of the way of the stream coating his skin. He growls with pleasure when Prompto clenches around him and bends the blond in half, pounding away with savage need to chase after that orgasm now that Prompto’s come. He listens to those breathy moans of overstimulated pleasure goad him as he finally comes, buried deep in Prompto’s ass, wishing he was filling it with his release, but he won’t complain.

A few more needy jerks of his hips and Cor sags over Prompto, caught in the boy’s arms as Prompto sits up and cradles him. “Oh…” the blond pants in his ear. “Was that better than yesterday? I…I don’t know. It was so good though.”

Cor has to laugh, picking himself up to look at the youth, tilting his head as those wide-eyes meet his. He leans in and gently kisses those soft, chapped lips, nibbling and tasting and exploring as Prompto’s arms circle around him. He releases Prompto’s legs and holds the younger man against himself, gently pulling out with a grunt of disapproval. If they had time, he’d go again – he wasn’t _that_ old, he’d go two rounds if given the time.

They kiss for far longer than planned, Prompto being the one to pull back and look at the time with a curse. “I think I’ll have to skip eating,” he whines as they clean up and fix their pants.

Cor opens his mouth to say something, but Prompto kisses him again, pressing close and nuzzling him affectionately. “I had fun,” he says with a smile, pulling back, “but um, do you think we could go out sometime? Is that okay? Can we be seen together? Or, if not, can I have your number? Well, I guess either way I should have your number—”

He’s cut off by a pair of lips affixing themselves to his own and he moans softly into it when it deepens. Cor kisses like he knows _exactly_ what Prompto wants. “Things are a little busy right now,” he says when he draws back. “So give me some time to see when I’m free. I’ll send you my number shortly. I have yours on file.”

Prompto smiles up at the Marshall before stealing one _last _kiss and hurrying out the door to go back to what’s left of his lunch before training resumes.

* * *

Maybe he’s being too transparent, but Prompto can’t help how good he feels after such an excellent Cor!dicking. He hopes he’s hiding it though as he returns to the courtyard, wolfs down his lunch, and hangs out by Gladio and Ignis for what remaining time they’ve got left. Gladio’s unusually quiet, and Ignis’s _slightly _judgmental look has Prompto worried, but he starts to expect Ignis might be jealous of the dicking and not so much angry at Prompto for doing naughty things on lunch break.

The afternoon passes quickly with an announcement at the end of the day, that their first major test was next week. Those who didn’t pass would be dismissed from training. Prompto feels nerves settle in his stomach at the idea of not making it, and then wonders what is to become of his one on ones with Cor – sex or not, he really did want to keep training with the Immortal. He makes a note to ask.

Heading back to the training room after everyone leaves, Prompto is eager to check his phone for Cor’s text. He hurries through the training room into the locker room, hearing movement that says someone else is in still in there. He rounds the corner and busts out laughing when he finds Nyx and Noctis locked in a hungry kiss in the corner, causing the two to jerk apart as Nyx clears his throat and quickly excuses himself.

Noctis is as red as Prompto’s ever seen him, but the blond quickly stops laughing as he goes to his locker. “It’s about time,” he comments as he opens the door and digs for his phone.

“What’s that supposed to mean?’ Noctis huffs as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand in embarrassment.

“Gladio and Iggy and me were about to take bets on how much longer—oh—” Prompto’s cut off when he sees a message from Cor, opening it to find a rather tantalizing dick pic waiting for him. He turns as red as Noctis had just been and clutches the phone to his chest in embarrassment.

Noctis lifts a brow, glad the attention is off him but curious as to what had literally shut his best friend up. “…Something wrong?”

Prompto immediately lets out a nervous giggle and shakes his head. “No, no, nothing _wrong_,” he assures, peeking at his phone with a sly smile just as Noctis snatches it from him.

“OH, OH Six, _why_?!”

Dropping the phone, Noctis staggers away into the bathroom, the sound of a faucet turning on as Noctis scrubs his eyes.

“_WHY?!”_

Prompto can’t help a “HA” as he bends down to pick up his phone and make sure Noctis didn’t break it. Everything looks fine as he admires the pic and sends a quick reply.

>>_our one on ones just got a whole lot more interesting, huh?_

He puts his phone down to change and clean up, laughing when Noctis flees the locker room still screaming “_WHY_?” before he hears his phone chime. He bends down to read the message and grins.

>>_oh you have NO idea_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for reading! please don't forget to leave comments, they give me life and help encourage me, i promise i want to hear them all!
> 
> friend me on twitter and tumblr! check out my pinned tweet for ways you can help me financially if you're able to in these trying times <3
> 
> also please share this fic on twitter or tumblr; i can't count on my followers to help, believe it or not, if you're reading, please share it <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a truce at breakfast.  
developments at training.  
gladio gets some advice.

When a knock sounds on Cor’s door the following morning, he doesn’t expect Nyx to enter. At this point, all surprise guests to his office have been Prompto – so Cor feels a little perturbed by the fact that it isn’t the cute freckled blond.

“I have something you need to see, sir,” Nyx says as he pulls out his phone and hands it to the Marshal. “Per your orders, I waited outside the dining hall yesterday. Got some…rather interesting footage.”

Cor glances down at the phone as he takes it from the Glaive’s hand, pressing play on the paused video and watching curiously. He’s apprehensive and a smirk even plays at his lips in anticipation when he finally gets what he’s looking for. Nyx chose the perfect spot – the video plays, the doors open, and Regis and Clarus exit, red-faced and flustered.

They don’t spot Nyx as they glance around and scurry off to the left, giving Nyx a full view of their bare asses, pants torn from trying to free themselves from the glued chairs. Nyx, unfortunately, can’t hold his laughter back, the phone shakes as he laughs, and both Regis and Clarus whirl around in horror. Nyx cackles at this point and zooms in on their faces.

“Make way for the royal ass precession!” Nyx wheezes as Regis summons the Armiger and the video cuts off with Nyx’s yelp as he runs off.

Cor’s fighting a grin as he looks back up at Nyx and nods. “You did good,” he says, “send that to me ASAP. A little blackmail is in order.”

“Blackmail?” Nyx questions as he sends the video off to Cor’s phone. “Sure that isn’t going too far?”

“I’m still cleaning glitter out of this office,” the Marshal grits out in response. “Blackmail is too kind for His Majesty and his boyfriend.”

Nyx chuckles and shrugs before he turns to go. “Gotcha.”

Cor pulls out his phone once he’s left alone and spends the next few minutes freezing the video on Regis and Clarus’s ass and printing out the pictures. He smiles and pockets them before heading downstairs for breakfast and heading into the dining hall. He’s relieved to be the first one there and hastily tapes the pictures to the King’s and Clarus’s chairs before he sits down and is served his breakfast.

He waits longer than he expects to for them to arrive, and he gets a _little_ nervous that perhaps he may have looked over a prank. But his glass, chair, and food all seem to be fine, and sure enough, Regis and Clarus arrive moments later. They too, seem wary as they enter the dining hall, approaching their new chairs – the old ones were ruined – and touching the bottoms to make sure there isn’t any glue.

It doesn’t take them long to notice the pictures and Cor can’t help snorting into his orange juice as Regis snatches his away while Clarus looks at his.

“Shall we call a truce?” Regis asks warily as Cor looks up at him.

“I told you it was war after you glitter-bombed my office,” he reminded. “Besides, the royal ass precession needed to be on display. Such a shame I couldn’t witness it personally.”

Clarus can’t help a stifled chuckle as he pockets the picture and nods to Regis’s. “It’s a good picture,” he says as Regis clears his throat and sits down with a huff.

“But, if you insist,” Cor adds. “A truce.”

“Royal ass precession,” Regis mutters as he places his napkin in his lap and gives Cor a look.

“That’s an odd thing to call yourself, but I’ve heard worse from your other counselors.”

Clarus can’t help laughing at that and Regis’s hands fall onto the table in exasperation.

“Did we not just agree to a truce?”

“I was speaking to Clarus,” Cor adds teasingly and Regis finally breaks a smile before giving in and laughing as well.

Clarus glares at both the King and Marshal before returning his gaze to Regis. “Pipe down, or the royal ass will be in for it later.”

Unfortunately, the lighthearted mood doesn’t last. A counselor shows up about halfway through their meal and whispers something in Clarus’s ear before leaving. Clarus tenses before he lets out a breath and looks up.

“Niflheim is attacking our borders.”

* * *

Today’s training is going exceptionally well for Prompto.

Since Cor’s reassignment, he’d practiced with his new friends for one day before Gladio had been assigned his new partner under the Marshal’s orders. He’s a bit surprised, but neither he nor Gladio are complaining. In fact, Prompto likes having Gladio as a partner. Despite how much the big guy likes to joke around, he’s serious about training, about his duties, and he’s just as talented and impressive as Cor is.

Prompto can see the impact the Immortal had on his friend and he loves it.

It’s about an hour before lunch that there’s a commotion outside the courtyard. Kingsglaives are running past in full uniform and battle armor and even Ignis and Gladio are caught off-guard by the flurry of activity. They both feel the temptation of going to see what’s up, but Noctis appears in the entryway, clearly upset about something.

Ignis quickly announces a brief break and hurries to the prince in concern. Gladio and Prompto are quick to follow and both catch the tail end of “…Niflheim’s attacking the borders. They’re sending the Glaives.” He looks angry, but Prompto realizes that Noctis doesn’t want to admit _everything_ that’s bugging him.

Nyx is off to battle, too.

“He’s fought in many battles before, Noct,” Ignis reassures, gently touching the prince’s arm and earning blue daggers of annoyance from the prince for having his secret squandered. “You can blame Prompto for that one.”

“That’s not fair!” the blond huffs. “You guys knew about Nyx already, I just confirmed it.”

“Thought you were too busy getting your Cor dickings,” Noctis mutters before shuddering at his own words.

“Serves you right,” Prompto snaps back with a smirk. “Or you can just steal my phone again.”

“Enough, _children_,” Ignis cuts in as Gladio laughs, though something in his expression seems disappointed and Prompto can’t figure out why. “We will be breaking for lunch soon, Noct. Stick around or join in the training, if you like.”

Before Ignis can say anymore, Cor appears behind them and motions for Ignis and Gladio to approach. Prompto and Noctis watch, both knowing this has something to do with the news of Niflheim, but not sure how. Cor’s expression is tense as he speaks to the two Crownsguard before motioning past them to the students. Gladio and Ignis nod in understanding before Cor turns to leave, but not before giving Prompto a soft look and nod, which gets returned.

Gladio hovers by the prince and Prompto as Ignis continues on to call the students into attention. Once they’ve lined back up, Prompto included, Ignis shares the news. “Your test has been moved to tomorrow,” he announces to a flurry of murmurs, which prompts Gladio to bark at them to be quiet. “We will finish our drills and break for lunch, and then spend the remainder of the day reviewing.”

Noctis sits off to the side and watches as training resumes, focusing on Prompto and Gladio in particular. He hadn’t bothered to stop by and watch his friend too much, at least, not since he’d first started, so he’s curious to see how well Prompto’s doing. He doesn’t get to watch for long though, a _psst_ off to the side catches his attention and he looks over to see Nyx poking his head through the entryway.

Scrambling to his feet, Noctis hurries over where he’s pulled out of sight of the class and into a hurried kiss. He pulls back, flushed, as he looks over the tall Glaive in front of him, decked out in full armor, including his hood. Noctis had always enjoyed the full Glavie armor set, but on Nyx, it had always looked the best. But his admiration fades as he remembers the sudden grave news and he bunches the front of Nyx’s uniform into his fists.

“I don’t want you to go,” he admits selfishly, looking down and hating that he’s being so emotional over it.

“Hey,” Nyx says, lifting Noctis’s chin with a curled finger. “I’m comin’ back, okay? Someone’s gotta keep you safe until your friend graduates training.”

Noctis smiles a little and accepts the kiss he knows is coming before Nyx steps back. “I gotta go,” he says. “I’ll be back.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Noctis’s eyes follow Nyx down the path until he can’t see the Kingsglaive anymore and he frowns, worry filling him at the idea of what the other man was running off to. He returns to the courtyard and watches Prompto train for a little longer, but he can’t pay attention like he wants – his mind is running off with Nyx to fight.

* * *

When training draws to a close, Prompto isn’t sure how he feels about his progress. It’s less about confidence and more about living up to the expectations of the Crownsguard, and protecting Noctis like he’d joined up to do. He’d been so caught up in this thing with Cor, that he’d lost sight of why he was really there, and a part of him is ashamed.

Prompto heads to the training room to meet with Cor for his one on one, heart heavy with the news of Niflheim’s attack, the sudden imminent test looming for him tomorrow, and the idea that he’d let himself be distracted from living up to Noctis’s expectations. To be fair, the prince probably wasn’t even thinking about Prompto’s train of thought, but either way, Prompto wasn’t about to let his friend and future king down.

Pushing the doors open, Prompto finds Cor already waiting for him and he glances quickly at the time to make sure he isn’t late. Cor offers a small smile and tosses him a weapon before notes the younger man’s demeanor.

“Something the matter?”

Prompto lets out a heavy, exasperated breath and gives Cor a look. “You should know,” he replies. “I’m surprised you even have time for me today.”

Cor nods in understanding as he approaches his student. “True.” A hand reaches to run through Prompto’s hair, softly, curiously. “All the more reason I’m here to make sure you graduate tomorrow.”

Prompto offers a small smile and tilts his head into that touch. “Are you sure I’m ready?” he asks. “What…what if I fail?”

“You won’t.”

“But—”

“—Argentum,” Cor cuts in, eyes piercing. “You won’t. You aren’t getting by because you’re His Highness’s friend, or because you’re involved with me. You got here by your own efforts. When it comes to the prince’s safety, the best matters. You’re the best in that class, and I think you know it.”

Prompto blinks up in surprise, clearly not expecting Cor to say any of that. He glances down at the weapon in his hand and then back up at the Marshal. He grins despite himself and makes a triumphant fist. “Yeah!” he exclaims. “You’re right!”

“Of course I’m right,” Cor jokes as he steps back. “Now, let’s work on what you’re least comfortable with and build up to your best stuff. I’ll walk you through some scenarios you can probably expect to be tested on, and then we’ll wrap up.”

Nodding, Prompto gets into position and their one on one begins. He’s excited to get to train with Cor again after a few days without him – it’s refreshing. But a part of this feels bittersweet – after he tests and hopefully graduates into the Crownsguard, will he get to spend this kind of time with Cor? What kind of time _did_ they have after this?

But Cor notices Prompto’s distracted and stops their drills, tilting his head. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Things aren’t going to be the same after tomorrow, will they?” Prompto can’t help asking, a pit of anxiety forming in his stomach as he speaks the words out loud. “…Will we still get to practice together?”

Cor actually smiles and even laughs a little as he steps forward and cups the back of Prompto’s head, tugging him close. “Prompto,” he says softly. “Your training doesn’t just _stop_ once you become a Crownsguard. You still have plenty to learn.”

The realization makes Prompto blush with embarrassment and he looks up through his lashes, hoping he’s conveying how he feels without having to say it.

Cor responds by kissing him and they linger there before they pull apart and resume practice. They train for over an hour, going past the allotted time they usually spend but Cor wants to make sure he leaves Prompto with no further questions and with every confidence of passing.

And Prompto has it. He knows that he’s going to pass tomorrow; he knows that he has what it takes to protect Noctis with his life. But he’s still nervous – it _is_ a test.

Heading back to the locker room together, Prompto goes to his locker to get his things in order to shower, throwing a coy look over his shoulder at Cor. “I didn’t wear you out out there, did I?”

Cor leans back against a locker, crossing his arms. “Hardly.”

“Good, then you can join me in the shower,” Prompto replies, dropping his pants and bending down, bare-assed, to pick them up. He looks back over his shoulder and finds smoldering eyes watching him before he pulls off his shirt next. He doesn’t stop to look at Cor this time before he grabs his things and giggles as he rushes off into the shower.

Ducking into a shower, Prompto pulls the curtain behind him and starts the water, getting it nice and steamy as he waits for Cor to join him. But minutes pass and he’s left alone. With a frown, Prompto pulls the curtain to look for the older man, only to yelp in surprise when he finds a softly smirking Cor standing with only a towel wrapped around his waist on the other side.

“I thought you wanted to go on a date,” Cor says as he releases the towel to hook it next to the shower.

As the Immortal steps in and pulls the curtain shut, Prompto licks his lips and turns away with a soft shiver of anticipation. “I mean, we can do both, can’t we?”

“Mm, we can,” Cor murmurs as he presses up behind Prompto and kisses his neck. “Believe me, I’m not complaining. Just making sure we have our priorities straight.”

They emerge from the shower thirty minutes later satisfied and covered in bite marks with a promise for a date the following evening. Prompto needs to get to Noctis’s place to make sure his friend is okay and hopefully distract him with video games. He’s stopped a couple more times on the way out with kisses from Cor, but he can’t help himself, he needs them.

They finally part ways outside the training room and Prompto hurries down the hall out of the Citadel where he hops a bus to get to Noctis’s apartment. He arrives about fifteen minutes later and hustles to the elevator, reaching the apartment and letting himself in just as the others are sitting down to eat.

“Sorry!” he exclaims, setting his things by the door. “Had my one on one with Cor.”

Noctis eyes him from the table and makes a noise. “Ugh, that’s not all you had.”

Ignis glances over as well, a blush exploding on those freckled cheeks. “Good heavens, Prompto,” he comments. “How many bite marks are you up to now?”

Gladio makes a choked noise on his drink and glances up at Prompto, eyes falling on the marks the blond couldn’t cover with his raised collar.

“You guys, are we _really_ going to talk about this?” Prompto whines as he sits down across from Gladio and next to Noctis. “I’m here to support my friend in these troubled times while his boyfriend is off to battle.”

“_He’s not my boyfriend_,” Noctis hisses out with a blush of his own, staring furiously at his plate.

“Uh-huh,” Gladio replies, grateful for the change in topic. “We’ll be here when you come out of denial.”

“I’m not in denial!”

“Denial about being in denial,” Prompto teases. “Classic.”

They share a few more laughs at Noctis’s expense before Ignis graciously shifts the topic. Gladio compliments the meal, Noctis shifts some vegetables onto Prompto’s plate when he thinks Ignis isn’t looking, and Prompto just eats them in support of his friend, also while thinking Ignis isn’t looking.

They finish first and rush off to play video games while Gladio and Ignis talk at the table. “Gladio,” the Adviser says as he sips his wine. “Why haven’t you said anything?”

Gladio looks up with a frown. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“You’ve been pining for Prompto for quite some time,” Ignis explains as if it were obvious. “He’s clearly oblivious to it. This thing with Cor can’t last, you should say something.”

Gladio’s frown deepens as he shoots a look down the hallway. “Why are you sayin’ that?” he asks. “What do you have against Prom and Cor?”

“I didn’t say I did,” Ignis corrects softly. “Your window is closing with him. He isn’t going to notice unless you say something.”

“Say somethin’ _now_,” Gladio replies. “_After_ he and Cor become a thing? What kind of logic is that?”

“Apparently, it’s yours.” Ignis rises to his feet to begin clearing the table. “Either get your heart broken now, or waste days, weeks, months with your unrequited feelings while there are others out there who might have your heart.”

Ignis can feel Gladio’s confused gaze following him as he puts plates in the sink and prepares the dishwasher. He hates that he said anything at all, but hates more...that he can’t take his own advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize if this chapter seemed rushed? i'm worried about how good it is, so i'm sorry if it's not up to par. 
> 
> if any of you have funny stuff to distract me, please hit me up on twitter and help me get through this depressive episode i'm dealing with for being a fuck-up. and as always, please don't forget to comment. i really need to hear from y'all on these rarepair fics.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompto takes the test.  
something happens when he's drunk.  
he officially becomes a crownsguard. (spoilers?)

_Good luck_.

Prompto reads the text one last time before he puts his phone back in his locker and shuts it, letting out the breath he’s been holding. He knows he can do this, know he’s _meant_ to do this, but he’s still nervous. There’s just so much at risk! Protecting his best friend means everything to him, and alongside people like Gladio and Ignis, what more could he ask for?

Realizing he’s wasting time, Prompto hurries off to the courtyard, anxious but eager to get things started. He rounds the corner and nearly plows over Noctis, who although looks a little sad, seems just as excited for Prompto.

“Whoa!” he exclaims, catching the blond before they fall over.

“Hey!” Prompto exclaims. “Sorry! A little distracted.”

Noctis waves him off and turns to walk with him the rest of the way. “I wanted to watch,” he says as they head outside. “Would that be okay? Or would it make you nervous?”

Laughing, Prompto smacks Noctis playfully in the butt and darts a few steps ahead as he turns around. “Watch away, buddy,” he replies with a grin. “My days of being nervous around you ended a long time ago.”

Noctis holds his butt, cheeks flushed, but he can’t help returning the grin as he nods and catches up to Prompto. They reach the courtyard shortly after, but find only Gladio and a handful of recruits waiting.

“What’s going on?” Prompto asks. “Where is everyone?”

“The magic and ranged tests are takin’ place elsewhere,” Gladio answers, gesturing for Prompto to get in line. “You’ll go to the firing range after this for ranged, and they’ll tell you where to go for magic. I’m doin’ the melee test.”

Prompto’s immediately flooded with relief. Gladio’s been his partner for a few days and he’d been trained by Cor – there’s no _way_ that he can fuck this up now. He makes small talk with other recruits as they wait for their turn, but none of them are trainees that Prompto had gotten to know very well. He wonders how Trevyn is fairing.

Noctis waits by the wall, eyes on Prompto though he fiddles with his phone from time to time. He needs to be distracted, needs to see something positive happen today so he can stop worrying about Nyx. No one has reported on the skirmishes at the border, and even though it’s barely even been a day, he can’t help the sinking pit in his stomach.

Prompto’s name is called a short while later and he takes the practice sword handed to him. He and Gladio settle into position, bowing first, and then they’re off. Gladio strikes hard and fast, not pulling his punches as he flies through the material covered in training. Prompto struggles at first, overwhelmed at how intense Gladio’s being – he wonders why – before he knows it isn’t Gladio, but the test itself. He knows that in real life, things could move like this, if not harder and faster.

The instincts finally kick in, which in Prompto’s opinion needs work, and he starts matching Gladio in speed, anticipating attacks when Gladio breaks the routine and switches things up. He matches blow for blow and even throws in some of his own, feeling that Cor’s sessions with him really paid off, his confidence is so high. And even Gladio seems to be enjoying the test – there’s an intensity in his eyes that Prompto’s never seen before, it’s…kind of hot, and there’s something strangely intimate about this test that he can’t decipher.

Regardless, he’s so caught up in the moment that he almost fails to hear Gladio call out an end to the test. He nearly trips over his feet and falls against Gladio with an “oof!”

Laughter rumbles out of the big guy as he catches Prompto and rights him before taking his sword and nodding. “You passed,” he announces as Noctis cheers in the background, “off to the weapon range with you.”

Prompto jumps excitedly and hugs Gladio before he waves to Noctis and heads out of the courtyard to take on the ranged weapons test next. He knows he’s got nothing to worry about with this test, it’s his best skill, and magic comes next – it’s not his favorite, it requires too much precision and timing that he just doesn’t care for, but he still prefers it over melee.

And he totally just _aced_ melee.

Sure enough, as Noctis catches up to him and assures him he’s gonna blow this thing out of the water, they reach the range and he gets in line as Noctis goes to stand with Ignis, who is giving the test. After a short wait, Prompto is called up, and the fireworks begin. He takes his weapon, nails every shot; switches to the next weapon, and again, hits each target precisely. The targets come faster, but Prompto barely breaks a sweat, and at the risk of showing off, he throws in a couple of trick shots much to Noctis’s delight.

When it’s all over, Ignis announces he’s passed, but although he’s not smiling, there is pride in those eyes. Prompto is definitely making waves with his progress through his Crownsguard test.

They head down the path to another ranged area set up for magic casting, and Prompto’s stunned to see Cor’s the one administering this test. He wonders if someone else had been meant to handle this and couldn’t, whether because of the attacks yesterday or what, but Prompto has the sneaking suspicion that Cor isn’t meant to be here.

“In line, Argentum,” the Marshal says with a nod, not looking up from his clipboard as he scribbles something down and announces without emotion that the trainee currently testing had failed. Something about the way he says it makes Prompto’s heart drop, like it’s a bad omen or something, but when Cor advises Noctis to stand by him, he glances up at Prompto and the blond can see it in the other man’s eyes.

He’s just doing his job, he still wants Prompto to succeed.

Prompto thinks back to his text that morning, and smiles.

When he’s finally called up after two fails and a pass, Prompto takes the magic and remembers what he can about using it. He spots his target, triggers the magic, envisions in his mind where he wants it to go and lets himself calculate that angle. It detonates in a fiery explosion exactly where it needed to and Prompto feels a rush of pride and relief at the sight. He takes the ice and thunder magics next and succeeds just as easily.

More targets appear and are replaced with ‘friendlies’ and Prompto has to detonate the magic now, while causing the least amount of harm to the ‘friendlies’. There’s no way to avoid affecting them, but minimalizing friendly fire is key. Prompto swallows thickly and watches the targets begin moving, watching and observing while remembering not to rush or take too much time. He licks dry lips, takes the magic, studies the targets, and finally…detonating.

The testing area is swallowed up in fire and Prompto worries he’d failed, unable to see how he didn’t botch that. But when the smoke clears, the ‘friendlies’ are still moving, singed lightly by the flame – Prompto had succeeded.

He’d passed.

* * *

Although the induction ceremony isn’t until the following afternoon, Prompto is still dragged out to celebrate by Noctis, Ignis, and Gladio. They go the bar, get food and drinks, and slowly get Prompto drunk. They know they’ve hit their limit when Prompto tries to climb up on the table and start dancing, to which Gladio has to pull him down and hold him in place, much to Prompto’s displeasure. He squirms the whole time and Gladio gives Ignis an exasperated look.

Noctis is cackling, buzzed himself, but as the ever-faithful designated driver, Ignis hides behind one hand and tries not to smile. It’s hard, Prompto is a _spectacular _drunk.

For once, though, Gladio hadn’t really drunk all that much. His appetite for it hadn’t really been there, and now he’s sober as fuck, with a goofy, inebriated Prompto, and it’s…not fun for him like it used to be. A few weeks ago, this could’ve been a perfect opportunity for both of them to be shit-faced and maybe accidentally make out? But Prompto’s a taken man now, and Gladio doesn’t see the fun anymore.

“I’m gonna take him home,” he announces abruptly, getting to his feet as Ignis blinks up in surprise along with Noctis.

“Gladio, we have the _Regalia_,” Ignis starts to say but Gladio gives him a look and the Adviser nods in understanding. “Do you really think now is an appropriate time?”

“I don’t see another time comin’,” Gladio retorts, helping Prompto from the seat and taking him firmly by the hand to lead out of the bar.

Prompto giggles the whole way, tripping a couple of times as he sways. “Where are we goin’?”

Glancing back at him, Gladio offers a smile. “I’m takin’ you home,” he reminds, tugging Prompto a little closer for stability. “You’re pretty drunk.”

“_Noimnot,_” Prompto slurs out before he laughs and falls against the solid wall of Gladio. “Okay.” Hiccup. “Maybe I am.”

“Gotta get you home and hope we can prep you so you don’t have a massive hangover tomorrow,” the Shield says, not even sure Prompto is listening, not that it mattered. “Don’t need you all miserable while you’re bein’ inducted.”

“Who’s abducting me?!” Prompto exclaims, startled.

Gladio sighs and closes his eyes as they wait at a crosswalk. “Prom, no, ugh, never mind.”

Already thinking about something else, Prompto idly swings their hands while waiting at the crosswalk with Gladio. He smiles and looks up at the big guy, tilting his head. “You were _great_ today.”

“Huh?” Gladio asks as they walk across, stomach twisting a bit. “What are you talkin’ about?”

“At the test!” Prompto exclaims, waving his hands dramatically. “I really _felt it_. Like, you _totally_ gave me a run for my money! And I was like, scared and everything! You made me work for it! It was like we were _dancing_.”

Trying not to think about making Prompto _work_ for it, Gladio smiles a little at the genuine compliment. He opens his mouth to thank Prompto but he’s cut off.

“Cor _totally_ did a good job with you. Isn’t he great?” Prompto gushes as he slurs. “He…he totally could’ve like, well he did, I guess when we did the one on ones. I have to tell you a secret!” He leans in. “We did it in the shower!”

Gladio tries not to give in to the pit in his stomach, but he does. He stops Prompto abruptly and faces him, heart in his throat. He knows this is the worst time – Prompto is in no state to remember this and it’s not that Gladio plans to take advantage of him in this condition, but when else can he tell the blond how he feels?

“Prompto, I need to tell you somethin’.”

Blue-violet eyes blink up wide and innocent as Gladio steadies him by the shoulders. “Okay!”

Faltering, Gladio lowers his head and looks away for a moment before he takes a breath and looks back up at Prompto. “…Prompto, I think I’m in love with you.”

In his best drunk dramatic fashion, Prompto gasps up at Gladio. “_Really_?” he asks, receiving a nod. “Oh my god, t-that’s _totally_ awesome! You should…you should tell me that more often!”

Sighing, Gladio’s head drops in defeat. “Seriously, Prom,” he tries in desperation. “…I just needed you to know. In case, you know, things with Cor don’t work out.”

Prompto frowns. “Why wouldn’t thinks with Cor work out?’ he asks. “Thinks with Cor are _great_.”

Frustration building, Gladio forgets himself for a moment and pulls Prompto into a kiss with a soft growl. At first, Prompto flails, confused and lost in his drunken stupor, but he realizes he’s being kissed by a very good looking man and happily returns it.

Prompto’s tastes just as sweet as he’d imagined, but only a few seconds in Gladio rips himself away, looking mortified.

“Fuckin’ _Six_,” he mutters. “I’m sorry, Prom. I shouldn’t have… Let’s get you home.”

Looking rather pleased with himself, Prompto just sways on his feet and shrugs in agreement with a smile. “Okay.”

They make it to Prompto’s house without further incident, but Prompto whines at Gladio to come upstairs with him and finish kissing. Gladio doesn’t laugh or smile with him, just guides him back inside and to his couch. He watches the blond fall face-first onto the plush couch and not move, sighing as he quickly leaves water, some medicine, and a note with hangover remedies on the coffee table. He stops at the door, watches Prompto for a moment, then hangs his head and leaves.

* * *

When Prompto wakes the next morning, he’s met with the biggest headache of his life. He barely remembers getting drunk last night and remembers even less, how he got home. He squints at the light and pulls out his phone when an annoying text message notification resonates through his skull. He turns off the sound and looks at the time, relieved that he has time before the induction ceremony this afternoon.

Sitting up slowly, Prompto notices the items on his coffee table and quickly takes the medicine before reading the note. It’s from…Gladio? Of all the people to leave medicine and water, he’d thought it would be Ignis.

Something pangs within him at the sight of Gladio’s handwriting, like he’s remembering something he’s forgotten, but he doesn’t understand. Had something happened last night? He looks at his phone, doesn’t see anything from anyone that gave him any sort of clue, but he can’t shake the feeling he’s forgotten something important.

After sending a quick message to Cor and downing the water, Prompto gets up and hurries off to get ready. He still feels awful, but he’s sure once he’s taken a hot shower and eaten, he’ll feel better.

An hour later, he’s rushing down the sidewalks to the Citadel, still feeling icky, but better enough to get him through the ceremony at least. Maybe he can talk Cor into a movie night at his house or something, but the thought makes him anxious and he… Why would he feel bad about inviting Cor over? It’s like he’s worried about…

Ugh, what _happened_ last night?

Someone has to know something, he decides, and hopes that he can get a word in with his friends either before or after the ceremony.

When he arrives, he knows it’ll have to be after. He’s ushered to the throne room where the ceremony is taking place, and instructed to stand with the other five trainees who made it through. Seeing only five of his friends, Prompto truly feels lucky for having passed. He doesn’t see Adria, but Trevyn is there. They share a wave before Prompto looks around for Noctis and the others.

Noctis is by his father, Ignis and Gladio a few feet away, and then Cor. Prompto smiles and waves at all of them, which everyone returns – even Cor – but not Gladio. Prompto frowns, hand curling in confusion and disappointment, but surely he’s _wrong_.

Had the something he couldn’t remember have been with Gladio? But what could he have done?

Thoughts distracted when the ceremony begins, Prompto finds he has trouble concentrating as King Regis gives a speech and congratulates his new Crownguard trainees. There’s applause before he continues, but Prompto is staring at Gladio before eyes on him have him looking at Cor, who seems concerned despite the stoic expression.

Prompto offers a smile and shakes his head slightly, trying to pay attention to the king before their names are called and they swear in as official Crownsguard members and receive their uniforms. It all happens rather quickly, and Prompto feels the tension and anxiety ease out of him now that it’s all over, now that he’s made it.

The crowd starts to disperse and Prompto hurriedly makes his way over to his friends, but by the time he gets there, Gladio has disappeared. The pang in his chest resurfaces and he almost wants to cry, but pushes the feeling down as Noctis launches at him and hugs him excitedly. But the prince is quick to notice something is wrong with his friend and pulls away.

“Dude, what’s wrong?”

“…Where’s Gladio?” Prompto asks as innocently as he can manage. “He wouldn’t look at me earlier, maybe he didn’t see me, but he’s…gone now. Did I do something?”

Ignis shakes his head. “Not that I’m aware of,” he replies. “You shouldn’t worry, Prompto. Today is about you and your accomplishment. I’m sure Gladio is just fine.”

Noctis shakes Prompto’s shoulders, trying to excite him again and Prompto tries to take Ignis’s words to heart, though something won’t let him. He smiles a bit, to put Noctis at ease, before Cor approaches and nods to the young blond.

“Congratulations,” he says with a smile, glancing at Ignis and Prompto. “Was wondering if I could take the new Crownsguard to lunch?”

Noctis pretends to turn around and vomit, but throws a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure they know he’s joking. Ignis grabs him by the ear and tugs gently, earning a yelp of protest as Prompto laughs and looks up at Cor with a smile.

“Is this our first date?” he asks hopefully, slowly forgetting about his woes with Gladio.

“Given the circumstances, it’s all I have time for,” Cor replies, tilting his head. “I hope that’s alright.”

“As long as we have time for a little more than lunch,” Prompto grins as they leave the throne room and turn down the hall.

“I think we can manage,” Cor says, still stoic-faced, but the glint in his eyes gives him away.

From the opposite end of the hall, Gladio watches them leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys again for reading this one. for a rarepair, the last chapter did really well, so thank you so much for your kudos and comments! please keep them up and let me know how you're liking this one <3 
> 
> I'm also going to beg you to go and check out "For King and Country", a James Bond Ignis fic that got little love when I posted it last week. Kudos and comments are REALLY needed on that one, so please go give it a read <33333


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cor and prom have lunch.  
the glaives return from battle.  
gladio makes another mistake.

As they settle into a booth at the little burger joint a few blocks down the street, Prompto doesn’t expect Cor to join him on the same side and settle in close. He’d expected the other man to sit across from him, maintain some sort of distance between them so that people didn’t stare. He almost asks about it, but thinks it might offend Cor, and he doesn’t need two people upset with him today.

Ignis may have tried to reassure him Gladio hadn’t been acting strange or whatever, but Prompto _knows_ something happened last night.

“Something on your mind?”

Prompto blinks at the question and looks up, shaking his head. “No!” he quickly reassures. “I, uh, may have had too much to drink last night and may be still recovering.”

Cor reads the younger man for a moment, like he doesn’t believe him, but decides to give Prompto the benefit of the doubt and nods. “A greasy meal will help with that.”

Prompto makes a face and looks at the menu. “Ugh, no, I couldn’t.”

“I’m serious,” Cor insists. “Don’t know the science behind it, but it works.”

Narrowing his eyes up at Cor, Prompto tilts his head. “Are you speaking from experience?”

A hint of a smile appears on the Marshal’s lips in response. “Never,” he teases. “I’ve never had a drink in my life.”

Prompto turns more towards the other man and rests his elbow on the table. “Do tell.”

Cor actually laughs in response and is saved by the waitress that approaches the table to get their drink orders, leaving once she gets them. He pretends to forget the question, but Prompto’s still waiting and staring with a devious grin.

“It was a long time ago,” he caves in, clearing his throat awkwardly. “On a road trip with His Majesty and retinue. I was too young to be drinking, but try telling the king that when he gets an idea in his head and with Weskom busy on some errand. We played a card game, took drinks when we lost. I…wasn’t very good at card games at the time.” He clears his throat again. “Within an hour I was falling off the beds having a _great_ time before puking my guts out in the bathroom of the hotel we were staying at and passing out shortly after.”

Prompto’s mouth falls open, trying to imagine this, but he just _can’t_. He barks out a laugh of disbelief and Cor finally breaks a small smile.

“Needless to say, Weskom put an end to any future _card games_.”

Prompto loses it at that point and laughs, wiping at his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t imagine that at all!” he exclaims. “All I remember last night was trying to go get on the table to dance before…” He trails off, realizing he remembers a little of last night.

Gladio had taken him home. Had…had something happened _then_?

He doesn’t dwell on it long, the waitress returns with their drinks and Prompto realizes he has no idea what he wants to order, but Cor points out a couple of options and he goes with the second one. His phone chirps and he checks it to find a _King’s Knight_ notification and groans – what terrible timing. He doesn’t want to play in front of Cor.

“Oh, you play that too?”

“You know what this is?” Prompto asks in reply, looking up in shock.

“I should, His Highness is playing it all the time when he should be paying attention in meetings.”

“Oh,” Prompto laughs. Of course Cor wouldn’t _play_ it. “Yeah, we play it together.”

“I won’t mind if you want to play.”

“But we’re on a date,” Prompto protests. “We should be talking and getting to know each other more.”

“We _are_ talking and getting to know each other more,” Cor points out and Prompto blushes with a soft nod. He opens the game and starts playing, showing Cor and explaining things to him without prompt. By the time he realizes what he’s doing, he looks up, a bit embarrassed, but Cor is actually watching and paying attention, and he doesn’t seem bored at all.

Before he can help it, the question comes out of Prompto’s mouth. “Why me?”

Cor’s gaze shifts to Prompto and he tilts his head a bit, brow furrowing slightly before that small smile returns to his lips. “Because you laughed.”

The answer catches Prompto off-guard as he blushes again, pausing the game and setting down his phone before he lifts his hand to touch Cor’s face. He leans in and kisses the older man, softly, until the waitress arrives with their food.

They don’t get to eat for long. A few bites in and Cor gets a call he can’t ignore, that he doesn’t stay on long, and that he hangs up from with a soft “_fuck_” muttered under his breath. When he looks at Prompto, the blond already knows what’s coming.

“I know,” he says softly, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Go on. I’ll bring you a to-go box.”

A small smile on his lips, Cor reaches for his wallet, but Prompto gives him a gentle shove. “I said go,” he teases. “I’ve got this.”

There’s a look in Cor’s eyes that says he going to make it up to Prompto later, and Prompto hopes the looks in _his_ says he sure hopes so. He watches the Marshal leave and eats the rest of his lunch, getting Cor’s packed up, and paying for the meal. He has to run home and drop off his uniform, and then he’ll bring Cor the rest of his lunch.

* * *

“Are you going to tell me what happened last night?”

Gladio flinches at the question and gives Ignis a look but falters at the one already being given to him. He frowns and looks away, putting back the practice weapon he’d grabbed from the training room he’d escaped to. “Why?”

Ignis puts his hands on his hips in response, expression incredulous. “Because something _clearly_ happened, Gladio,” he replies, tone sharp, “and he clearly doesn’t know or doesn’t remember, so your attitude is a problem. What. Happened?”

Gladio lets out a breath and throws his hands up. “I made a stupid mistake,” he admits, “and it ain’t his fault, but I can’t help bein’ mad. I know it’s me and not him I’m mad at, I just…” He punches the wall, not hard, but enough to make him grunt.

“My apologies,” Ignis says, earning a look of surprise from Gladio. “I…was hasty in giving you that advice, and although I wanted you to get it out of your system, this isn’t what I had in mind for you.”

“Not your fault, Iggy,” Gladio protests as the Adviser takes his hand to inspect. “It wasn’t a good time, you were right to try and stop me last night.” He misses the soft touches on his hand, presuming them to be just Ignis being Ignis, and sighs. “I kissed him.”

Ignis’s head snaps up. “You what?”

Before Ignis can ream him any further, Gladio pulls his hand away. “I _know_, Iggy,” he mutters. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“Maybe I do,” Ignis snaps back. “I thought you smarter than that.”

“Didn’t I say I made a stupid mistake?” Gladio shouts. “I’m already said I’m not mad at Prompto, I’m mad at myself, and fuckin’ embarrassed. How can I apologize for that? He don’t even remember!” He turns and leans back against the wall, shaking his head. “He wouldn’t fuckin’ stop talking about Cor, too. It was pointless for me to even say anythin’ to him. I don’t have a chance.”

Ignis is quiet for a few moments, unsure of what to say, but before he can come up with anything, there’s a commotion in the hallway. He glances at Gladio before hurrying back to the doors, pushing one open to see activity further down – the Glaives have returned. Even from here, he doesn’t have to guess how the battle went – they’re dirtied and grim-faced and Ignis knows the news isn’t good.

“Come on, Gladio,” he says, waiting for the other man before they hurry towards the approaching Glaives, mainly to find Noctis, who is certain to be looking for Nyx.

Sure enough, Ignis spots the short prince darting between the soldiers, looking for Nyx, almost giving up hope until he finds him, locked in a heated argument with his superior. Even Noctis knows to hold back, not close enough to hear, but close enough to know the conversation was _not_ going in Nyx’s favor. Drautos points a finger at the Glaive several times before turning on his heel and stalking off down the hall past Noctis.

Waiting until he was certain it was safe, Noctis cautiously approaches Nyx, unsure if the other man even wants to see him, and somewhat embarrassed by wanting to be seen. Hearing steps, Nyx glances over, expression angry as he thinks it’s Drautos again, but upon spotting Noctis, the anger melts and he drops his things in order to take the prince into his arms.

“Ugh, you didn’t see that, did you?” he’s muttering against Noctis’s hair. “Because you weren’t supposed to.”

“Shut up,” Noctis mutters back. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“It’ll take more than a three-headed daemon to stop me,” Nyx teases, setting Noctis down and ruffling the prince’s hair. “I can’t stay. Gotta report in, debrief and all that.” He sighs and bends down to get his things. “I might be a little scarce over the next couple days. I got kicked to wall duty for being insubordinate.”

“Wall duty?” Noctis asks before he sighs and reaches for Nyx’s arm. “How long? Wait, did we win? What’s going on?”

Nyx sighs again and bends to press a kiss to Noctis’s temple, even in front of Ignis and Gladio down the hall. “It’s a long story, one I’m sure your dad will be relaying to you soon enough,” he says, “but no, it’s not good. I’m sorry.”

Noctis watches Nyx head off down the hall, frowning as he passes Ignis and Gladio with a nod, and the two approach the prince curiously.

“That didn’t seem good,” Gladio comments, glancing back over his shoulder.

“I’m certain we’ll learn soon enough what lies ahead for the future of the kingdom,” Ignis adds softly, glancing at Noctis. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah…” the prince says, rubbing one arm. “It’s hard to be glad he’s alright when you think about what could make them come back in such a state. And wall duty? What a stupid punishment given what we’re dealing with.”

“I think that’s the point,” Gladio replies as they all share one last look down the hallway where the Glaives had gone.

* * *

It’s later that evening as Prompto settles in for a night alone. He’d brought Cor his lunch, but the man had been too busy for company – the Glaives had returned from battle, and news was not good. Ignis had been called into meetings, so that meant Noctis had to join, and Gladio…well, Gladio hadn’t been around when Prompto had learned about the meetings.

He pops in a movie, eats some ramen he’d cooked up, and settles on the couch, feeling content even though he doesn’t know what lay in store for them ahead. Maybe he should be worried about the future, about Niflheim, about his duties as a newly-inducted Crownsguard, but he can’t be. He’s feeling good, even if Gladio’s behavior still worries him.

Finishing up his ramen, Prompto hears a knock on his front door and lifts an eyebrow. Who could that be? He pauses the movie, gets up from the couch, and goes to the door, peering through the hole and pulling back in surprise.

Gladio?

Prompto hastily opens the door and smiles up at the big guy, relieved he’s here even if he’s not sure what’s going on. “Hey!” he greets. “I was worried about you. What’s up?” He steps back to let Gladio in, biting his lip when the Shield doesn’t respond right away.

“I, uh, owe you an apology,” Gladio says as Prompto shuts the door, turning to face the blond. “I’ve been in a funk today because of somethin’ I did last night and uh… Clearly you don’t remember…”

“So something _did_ happen?” Prompto asks, stepping forward. “What? It can’t be that bad.”

“It’s not that it’s _bad_,” Gladio says as Prompto gestures for him to come into the living room and onto the couch. “It’s that it shouldn’t have happened.”

Prompto sits down and looks up at Gladio in confusion. “What happened?”

Sighing in frustration, Gladio sits down next to Prompto and folds his arms over his legs. “…You really don’t remember?”

Prompto shakes his head. “No,” he replies. “Just…vague glimpses. I remember trying to get up on the table, and then, uh… You taking me home?”

“That’s it?”

Prompto shrugs and Gladio sighs again.

“There’s somethin’ I’ve been meanin’ to tell you for a while,” the big guy starts, “but it never seemed like a good time, and I figured if you…_knew_, you would’ve said somethin’.” He laces his fingers, shifting uncomfortably. “I tried to tell you last night, thinkin’ it was the only time I was ever gonna have the nerve. You…uh, pretty much responded like a drunk person would, and I kinda hoped that’d be the end of it, but I got so frustrated… I kissed you.”

Prompto jerks in surprise. “You _kissed_ me?” he exclaims. “Why would you _kiss_ me? What did you—” He cuts himself off when he finally puts the pieces together, mouth falling open. “…You mean…? _Oh_.” A hand covers his mouth and he stares at Gladio. “What did I say? What did I do? I’m so sorry!”

Gladio’s head snaps to look at Prompto and he lets out a laugh. “Don’t apologize, man,” he says. “_I’m_ the one that kissed you. You thought it was a fuckin’ awesome compliment and kissed me back, but I shouldn’t’ve done it, Prom. You weren’t in any state of mind for me to be doin’ somethin’ like that.”

“Well, yeah, I guess, but you stopped yourself before anything happened, dude,” Prompto points out, “and it is a compliment. I’m…I’m sorry I didn’t notice before.” He touches Gladio’s shoulder. “I mean, really. You’re…you’re great.” He bites his lip. “I don’t know how to say anything without giving you a mixed message.”

Gladio glances at the hand on him before he smiles a little at Prompto. “Just tell me the truth,” he replies. “It’s not a mixed message if it’s the truth.”

Nodding, Prompto pulls his hand away and scoots close. “I’m…kind of oblivious to these sorts of things,” he admits as if it weren’t already obvious. “I mean, the thing with Cor only happened because he uh, he made his intentions pretty clear in the bar that night…” He lets out a soft, disbelieving laugh before he looks back at Gladio and remembers what he’s supposed to be saying. “…I do like you, Gladio. You’re like, the epitome of hot, and I’m pretty sure you know that…” He shakes his head. “I guess it never occurred to me that you’d like someone like me. Not saying I’m not worth liking, I mean, I guess I just didn’t think I was your type.”

Gladio lifts an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What’s my type?”

“Girls with big boobs,” Prompto immediately replies, making grabby hands at his own chest and giving Gladio a look when he’s given one. “What? You talk about them _all_ the time.”

“Do _not_,” Gladio counters even though he’s blushing a bit. “What’s wrong with that? A man can like both.”

“He can,” Prompto laughs, “but I thought that meant you were a ladies man.” He smiles. “I’m not saying it’s your fault I didn’t know you liked me, I just… I got the wrong impression.” He reaches for Gladio’s hand and squeezes it. “I’m glad you told me now, though.”

Gladio looks down at their hands, then up at Prompto, smiling a little. “Yeah,” he agrees with a nod. “Me too.”

Prompto’s smile widens and he leans in to press a kiss to Gladio’s cheek, but he lingers as those amber eyes meet his. Gladio knows he’s making another mistake and deserves whatever’s coming to him, but he turns his head and kisses Prompto on the lips, already missing that sweetness from the night before. He expects to be pushed away, slapped maybe, anything for the line he’s crossing.

What he doesn’t expect is for Prompto to kiss him back, deepen it curiously, like he wants to know what he’s missing out on and Gladio’s all too ready to show him. He doesn’t want to be aggressive and spook Prompto away, so he cups the back of the blond’s head and gently tugs him closer as he sits up and takes over the kiss. 

And for a moment, it seems like it’s going somewhere. Prompto lets out little whimpers into the kiss like he’s enjoying it, and Gladio explores that willing mouth with his tongue, tasting everything. But then Prompto pulls back with a gasp and sits back on the couch, wide-eyed, unable to believe he’s just done something like that.

“Oh, shit, dude,” he breathes as they both catch their breath. “Um, m-maybe you should go.”

Gladio doesn’t even take offense, stunned as well as he nods. “Yup.” He gets up and heads to the door, stealing one glance back to see the blush overtaking Prompto’s cheeks and the hands conveniently placed over his pajama pants.

It’s as mixed as mixed signals get, but Gladio feels _good_ as he leaves the apartment, not thinking about what Prompto thinks or feels until he’s a block down the street. He stops and drops his head against a streetlight pole, feeling like an idiot for making the same mistake twice.

How does he fix this now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those interested, this fic is technically taking place in the canon universe, following the timeline of Kingsglaive LOOSELY. just so you know what's going on <3
> 
> please don't forget to leave kudos and comments, i promise there isn't a comment I don't want to read, so let me know what you're thinking! <3 and please consider checking out my fic, "For King and Country", a secret agent/James Bond-y Ignis fic <3 it's not getting any love :/


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompto tells cor the truth.  
cor has a little talk with gladio.  
and noctis goes to see his new boyfriend.

Prompto spends much more time outside Cor’s office than he’d have liked to, but he doesn’t know how he’s going to tell the older man the truth. Maybe Cor won’t be mad at all, maybe he’ll break it off right then and there, but Prompto refuses to keep something like this from him. He’s not a cheater, and what had happened last night had been a happy accident. He hadn’t meant for it to happy, yet a part of him is glad it had.

But he doesn’t know what happens next. How is it going to be between him and Gladio? Awkard? Tense? …Sexually tense?

Prompto hates what’s going through his mind. His feelings for Cor are just as strong as ever, but now he can’t help entertaining the thought of doing things with Gladio, because he’d never _thought_ of doing things with Gladio til now. But he knows he can’t have his cake and eat it too. Maybe Cor, if he’s not upset, will have advice for him.

Pacing one last time, the young new Crownsguard jumps when the door to Cor’s office opens and the Immortal himself stares out at him.

“You have been pacing for fifteen minutes now,” Cor observes, stoic expression as still as ever. “Care to tell me what this is about?”

“I’m sorry,” Prompto quickly apologizes. “I wasn’t sure I should bother with this. I know you’re busy.”

“You brought me lunch yesterday, I can spare a few minutes,” the Marshal replies with a hint of a smile, “but I hate to admit I don’t have time for anything else.”

Prompto actually smiles a little and hurries over to the door, pressing a quick kiss to Cor’s lips before they disappear inside the office. He walks over to a chair and grips the back, feeling those blue eyes on him and biting his lip. “I’m, uh, afraid I have to tell you something.”

“You sound nervous,” Cor comments as he walks in front of Prompto and leans back against his desk. “What happened?”

Letting out a heavy breath, Prompto’s gaze drops to the floor before he steels himself and straightens his posture, looking Cor in the eye. “You deserve the truth,” he says with a nod. “You’ve never given me anything less.” He falters briefly before he clenches his fist and fights the pit in his stomach. “Gladio came over to my house last night, and um, after he kind of confessed his feelings for me, I kissed him. It…lasted for a few seconds.” His head drops in shame. “…I’m sorry, I’m not a cheater, I swear, I just… I guess I got caught up in the moment. Of course I like him, he’s a good guy and my friend, but I lo…” He clears his throat and cuts himself off. “I like _you._ I’m with_ you_.” He finally looks back up. “I’ll understand if it’s a dealbreaker, I… I deserve it, if it is.”

Cor had crossed his arms and tilted his head while Prompto spoke, observing the younger man as he listens. He doesn’t know what to think, he realizes. An insecure or jealous person would get angry and lash out, but he’s far from that. He doesn’t feel jealous, he feels… Oddly enough, he feels _proud_. Prompto had immediately come to him, told him the truth, and prepared to accept the consequences of his actions. As a soldier, Cor couldn’t ask for anything better, as a partner, the same. And although he won’t call Prompto out on it, Cor knows the younger man had nearly confessed his love right then and there.

Uncrossing his arms, Cor approaches Prompto in two steps, lifts his hands, and takes that freckled face in them. “It’s not a dealbreaker,” he whispers softly, meeting those wide-violet eyes when they look up at him in surprise, “but I’ll admit, I don’t know how to talk about it without sounding patronizing.” He kisses Prompto softly and steps back to lean on the desk again. “Should I get possessive, punish you right here, remind you that that ass belongs to me?”

Prompto’s knees nearly give out at the grit in Cor’s voice and he nods. “A worthy punishment...”

Cor laughs softly and lets his head fall forward. “If we had the time, I most certainly would,” he replies as he rises back up and walks back over to Prompto once again. “I’m not upset, Prompto. Maybe I should be, I don’t know. You told me the truth, I know it was an accident, but a part of me…doesn’t want to hold you back from seeing what else is out there. I worry how much work will get in our way, our duties to the Crown. You will be spending far more time with him than you will with me. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Prompto draws back, giving Cor a look. “Excuse me?” he asks, almost sounding offended. “You’re gonna throw in the towel?”

Cor’s brow twitches but Prompto isn’t done.

“Who cares if I spend more time with Gladio,” the blond says as he closes the distance between them. “You picked me, and I picked you, and that’s the way I want it. If we’re meant to be, then fuck work.” He pauses at his choice of words and makes a face. “I mean, I’ll do my duties proudly, but I still want to come home to you. If you’ll have me. Because… I love you.”

Both of Cor’s eyebrows go up at those words, the most expression in his face that Prompto thinks he’s seen the whole time they’ve known each other. He thinks for a long moment before he smiles, actually smiles, tugs Prompto close and kisses him firmly on the lips.

“Love you too.”

Prompto’s expression softens and turns a bit surprised and relieved before he wraps his arms around the Marshal and holds him close. He couldn’t believe it – love? Him and Cor? Gladio’s kiss had essentially become a good luck charm. But he still doesn’t know what to do about the Shield. How are things going to be between them?

Why is he even thinking about Gladio right now?

Pulling back, Prompto kisses Cor again, wishing they had more time than they did to really…_consummate_ the occasion, but he knows Cor has a lot on his plate, and Prompto doesn’t want to add to it. “I hope we get some time soon,” he says, “but I know things aren’t good right now. Text me?”

With another smile, Cor nods before his expression fades into stoicism and he rises from the desk once more. He waits for Prompto to leave before he sends a summons for Gladio to come to his office and sits back down at his desk to work while he waits.

It’s not long after that there’s a heavy knock at the door and he calls for them to enter, knowing it’s Gladio but he has to play this right. He glances up when the big man enters, expression blank and stern as he nods for Gladio to shut the door and take a seat.

“Sir?” Gladio says as he does as told. “I think I know why I’m here.”

“Oh, do you?” Cor questions in reply, folding his hands on the desk and looking at Gladio expectantly. “By all means, then.”

The Shield blanches a bit but clears his throat awkwardly and picks at a seam in his uniform. “I assume you’ve spoken with Prompto,” he begins, clearing his throat again before he looks up at Cor, “and I assume he…told you what happened last night.”

“Amicitia, I’m going to remind you right now that I don’t have a lot of time today,” Cor replies dryly. “If you would get to the point?”

Frowning, Gladio nods and sits up in the chair a bit before a thought occurs to him and he gives Cor a look. “Sir, you called _me_ here,” he reminds, “and if you already know what happened, then why drag me through this whole charade?”

Cor snorts and gets up from his desk, hands clasped behind his back as he walks to the window. “I’m going to make one thing very clear, Gladio,” he says without turning to look at the other man. “You kissed a taken man last night, and he came here with every expectation that I’d turn him away. He was very much mistaken.” He pauses for a long moment to let Gladio stew in confusion before he turns around. “Prompto doesn’t belong to me, Gladiolus. He is his own person and belongs to himself. So if he wants to kiss you, then by all means, he can, but do not even _begin_ to think you are going to take him away from me either. That is a dangerous game to be playing, do you understand?”

Gladio’s frown returns, but he nods and thinks he’s getting off easy if all he’s getting is a slap on the wrist until Cor walks around the desk and approaches him.

“That being said, I have a request.”

“…A request, sir?”

Cor leans back on the desk and looks firmly at Gladio. “Things are…going to get hectic very soon,” he says quietly. “I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise me that you’ll take care of him, as best you can without letting it affect your duties to the Crown. Can you do that for me?”

Gladio opens his mouth and blinks up at Cor for a moment before the look in the Marshal’s eyes has him realizing the depth of those words. “Sir,” he says as he straightens in his chair. “You have my word.”

Nodding, Cor rises from the desk and walks back around to the other side. “Good. You are dismissed.”

“Sir?” Gladio questions as he rises to his feet and steps behind the chair. “…I thought you liked a challenge.”

Cor looks up in surprise at those words, unable to hide the surprise that unexpected statement draws from him. He lets out a short laugh. “_Worthy_ challenges, Amicitia,” he corrects. “I’ve already won this one. It wouldn’t be a fair fight.”

Instead of the reaction Cor expects, Gladio laughs and nods as he walks to the door, pausing there and looking back at Cor one last time. “I didn’t get a chance to apologize.”

“Don’t bother, I know you won’t mean it,” Cor replies. “It’s not your fault. You love him, don’t you.”

Gladio answers with silence before he gives a curt nod and quickly disappears through the door.

* * *

Noctis hates that he’d ditched training with the three of his friends, especially since it was Prompto’s official first day, but there will plenty of those days ahead. He doesn’t know when he’ll get to spend more time with Nyx – so he’s headed out to the wall by himself to see the Kingsglaive. It’s a stupid move, he knows, but he’s certain he’ll be fine, and besides, he’s not defenseless.

It takes him longer than he’d planned to get out there, though, and he knows he’ll get back even later than expected – he knows he’s going to get an earful from Ignis for sure.

In hindsight, he thinks it would have been safer and faster to come out here with Ignis and the _Regalia_, but it’s too late now.

He’s reached the wall where Nyx is based and waits for the guard pestering the Kingslaive to leave. Nyx looks like he’s barely holding himself back from punching the guy and Noctis glares daggers from where he’s hiding at the man. The guy _finally_ leaves and once Noctis thinks it’s safe, he emerges from his hiding spot and hurries over to where Nyx is standing.

Hearing footsteps, Nyx turns in alarm at first before that fades away to surprise and relief. “Shit, Highness, what are you doing out here?”

“This wall duty is bullshit,” the prince replies as he reaches the other man and wraps his arms around the Kingglaive’s broad frame. “I had to see you.”

“You…came a long way just to see me,” Nyx murmurs in Noctis’s ear. “I don’t see Ignis, he’s gonna be pissed.”

“Let him be pissed,” Noctis replies as he pulls back from the hug and kisses at Nyx’s lips more brazenly than he has so far since this all started. Even Nyx is surprised as he tilts his head at the prince and smiles a little.

“What’s all this about?” he asks, unable to help his curiosity. “You finally accepted you’re gonna be mine?”

Noctis’s cheeks erupt in a blush before he shrugs a bit and steps back. “I dunno,” he mutters. “I…I guess the whole battle from the other day scared me a bit. It’s not gonna get any better. Can’t play coy forever and…” His blush deepens. “I guess…maybe I do want this.”

Nyx smiles a little, glancing around but seeing no cars and knowing they have a moment. He tugs Noctis over to the nearby booth and presses the prince against the wall. “Been waiting for you to say somethin’ like that for a while.”

Noctis licks his lips apprehensively before he tugs Nyx down to him and kisses him. “Maybe you can come to my place?” he asks before he sees the other man smirk and blushes again. “For _dinner_. I want to…you know, talk.”

“That all?” Nyx asks, pretending to be disappointed if only to make Noctis blush a bit more.

“That’s not all you want me for, is it?” the prince murmurs, squirming a little in discomfort and not expecting Nyx to laugh.

“Highness, if that’s all I wanted, I wouldn’t go after the prince of Lucis,” he assures in reply, lifting the prince’s chin with a finger. “There are easier asses to claim.”

“Then why?”

Nyx doesn’t back down, thumb stroking Noctis’s chin. “Do I need a reason?” he asks. “…I don’t know. It’s just…something about seeing you for the first time, and feeling…_something_. I would’ve made a move sooner, but…well, Ignis didn’t seem too fond of me flirting with you, being older and all, neglecting my duties to your dad. But I like you, Highness. I don’t know how else to explain it.” He leans in but goes past Noctis’s lips to his ear. “We don’t have to fuck.”

Biting his lip at those whispered words, Noctis can’t help a shiver and he waits for Nyx to pull back before he kisses him, desperately. He’s young, of _course_ he wants to fuck, but he doesn’t want to be used by someone he’s still getting to know. He doesn’t want to be someone’s conquest. Now if Prompto or Gladio or Ignis decide one day that they want to sleep with him, in his head, that’s different, but Nyx is little more than an acquaintance.

If anything, Noctis is going to make him work for it.

The kiss deepens as Nyx takes control, his hands cupping the prince’s face before they slide down to touch and feel within reason. He’s aggressive at first, wanting everything he can get before he feels Noctis struggling to catch up and he’s reminded that he’s in public and supposed to be on duty. He reins it in and pulls back, resting his forehead against the prince’s while they catch their breath and try again. Nyx glances around, making sure the coast is clear and no cars are coming before he leans in again for a soft, sensual kiss.

This is much more Noctis’s pace and the prince kisses Nyx with more confidence than before. He chases after each kiss, whimpers pulled from him that he’s embarrassed to give but Nyx eats them up like he’s addicted to the sound. They’ve made out before, sure, but Noctis is still intimidated by it still – Nyx is older, more experienced, and kisses like he knows what he’s doing.

Noctis…hasn’t really ever had any boyfriends or girlfriends. Once upon a time, he and Prompto would kiss and fool around, but that’s as far as it ever went. They were better friends than boyfriends. He can’t help wondering how long it’s going to take for Nyx to lose interest when he decides he doesn’t want to teach a virgin.

Sensing Noctis’s thoughts have drifted, Nyx pulls back with a lifted brow and reaches to lift that chin again. “What’s up, Highness?”

Making a face, Noctis looks up at the other man. “Don’t call me that.”

“That face is exactly why I do,” the Kingsglaive teases, pressing his lips to the prince’s, “but don’t avoid the question. What’s wrong?”

Noctis hesitates and avoids those inquisitive gray eyes before he sighs and gives in. “…I want this, but…are you sure you want me? I’ve never…done this before.”

Nyx’s face softens before a genuine smile crosses his face and he pulls back. “I’m not expecting’ anything out of you, Highness,” he says, “just what you have to offer. I don’t know what you’ve heard, or what you think about me, but…we’re in this together, you know? I’m not gonna take what you don’t want to give, or expect more than you have. I’m a better guy than that.”

Before Noctis can reply, a sound draws them apart and Nyx turns to see something in the distance that makes him frown. “…You better go.”

Noctis peers around the Kingsglaive, spotting multiple cars approaching in a procession-like manner. Someone important was coming, but who? Who would come during this time? He wants to stay, but knows better, grabbing Nyx’s hand to squeeze it before he darts out of the booth and runs back the way he had come.

Leaving the booth after the prince, Nyx watches him go before he lifts a hand to halt the cars as they approach, and a window comes down. “The royal ambassador from Niflheim is here to see His Majesty, King Regis, to negotiate a peace treaty.”

Nyx stares for a long moment before he steps back and touches his earpiece. “You’re not gonna believe this,” he says, “but we got an ambassador here from Niflheim here to negotiate peace.”

A long silence follows before Drautos’s voice responds. “Let them pass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things...are gonna get a little angsty now. Sorry T___T
> 
> That being said, don't forget to leave comments and kudos. And please consider reading my Secret Agent Ignis fic, "For King and Country"!
> 
> Also, going forward, I'd rather be followed on Tumblr than on Twitter - my fics get absolutely zero interest on Twitter so I will no longer be sharing updates on there, so if you want to follow me for updates on fics, Tumblr is the way to go.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the bombshell drops.  
cor has a talk with prom.  
and noctis makes a decision.

The bombshell that drops one everyone that day is one none of them saw coming. Sure, there’s a beautiful silver lining where a peace treaty will be negotiated, but at what cost? Giving up the lands outside of Insomnia to Niflheim? Ignis can barely fathom why the king accepted those terms, knowing how many of the Kingsglaive are from those very regions. But of course, to them, that’s not the worst part.

The worst part is how Noctis’s future was decided for him that day. He is now set to marry Oracle Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, whether he likes it or not. Sure, she’s not the problem. She’s a childhood friend, an absolutely beautiful girl with a pure heart, but he doesn’t love her.

At least, not like that.

And no, Noctis doesn’t even know if he loves Nyx, but at least he had the option to find out up until now. It was literally only hours ago that he had been in the booth making out with the Glaive, and now this?

He’s inconsolable at first. He won’t even let Prompto see him, only Ignis, and it’s strained at that. It’s the first time in a long time that he’s really upset about something and not just pouting or throwing a tantrum as princes often do. When Prompto’s not allowed to see him, they all know it’s serious.

That’s how Prompto and Gladio end up in the hallway outside the apartment, shifting awkwardly like they don’t know if they should stay or go, and not knowing what to say to each other. The last time they were alone together, they’d made out, and Gladio has Cor’s warning seared in his brain, yet he can’t help side-eyeing Prompto.

Sorry, Cor, but you just don’t turn off libido.

“…Why do I have a bad feeling about all this?” Prompto asks aloud, rubbing one arm as he stares at the floor.

Thrown off by the question, Gladio blinks for a moment before he looks at the blond. “…What do you mean?”

“…I dunno,” Prompto says, shrugging as he meets Gladio’s gaze. “This all feels kind of sudden. I just… I don’t know, I can’t shake the feeling something’s not right.”

Gladio frowns, hating that he feels the same but doesn’t know why either. A silence follows as he tries to think of what to say, but before he can, the door to the apartment opens, and Ignis appears, looking more shaken than either of them expect.

“The ceremony is already being scheduled as we speak,” the Adviser announces softly, looking at each of them. “The king has advised me that we are to escort His Highness to Altissia. We leave soon. I will have more details shortly, but it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to go home and start packing.”

Prompto jerks a bit in surprise, looking from Gladio to Ignis before he reaches for his phone to message Cor. He’s stunned to see he already has a text waiting from the Marshal, advising him that they need to talk.

>>_on my way_

He rushes down the hall with a wave to his friends, anxiety welling up inside of him as he impatiently rides the elevator down. He has no idea what Cor needs to talk to him about, but he’s certain it’s instructions and reassurances about his mission to escort the prince to his wedding.

Right?

What else could it be? Sorry, you’re too new to escort the prince? You have to stay here in Insomnia?

Prompto frowns. That would _suck _and be _totally_ unfair. He hopes it’s not that. Fortunately, he has time to think things through on his walk to the Citadel, and by the time he arrives, he’s feeling better about this strange talk Cor wants to have with him. He hurries down the halls and up the lifts to get to the Marshal’s office, a flurry of activity taking place within the Citadel that surprises him, but there’s a lot of work to be done to prepare for the Treaty signing, it seems.

Maybe Cor needs help with that?

Shrugging, Prompto knocks on the office door and waits patiently for the other man to call him in, smiling when he hears Cor’s voice. He steps in and shuts the door behind him, but the face that greets him is grim, and no twinkle shines in those eyes. Prompto immediately sobers and takes a step forward.

“Cor?” he asks. “What’s wrong?”

Rising from his seat slowly, Cor sighs and places his hands on his desk, leaning into them. Whatever he has to say isn’t good and Prompto’s stomach drops – oh no, he’d been right. He wasn’t going to get to go with Noctis and the others.

“Things are changing around here,” Cor begins softly. “Decisions are being made and…” He sighs and lifts a hand to rub his forehead, struggling to say what he needs to.

Although in any other situation, Prompto would realize if this were work-related, Cor would have no problem, he’s not thinking straight. “I understand,” he answers in a matching tone. “…I figured I wasn’t ready to protect the prince, especially on his way to his wedding.”

Cor looks up sharply, frowning at those words, frustrated that this would make what he had to say even harder. “That’s not even remotely close to what I’m trying to say,” he states in a clipped voice. “First of all, even you know that’s not true.” He sighs again and comes around the desk, hating himself with each step as he takes Prompto’s hands and holds them. “Second of all, what I have to say is…worse than that.”

Prompto’s brow furrows at those words and that face, and it _finally_ dawns on him what could possibly be worse than not getting to join Noctis on his trip. “No…” he whispers, hands tightening around Cor’s as he shakes his head. “No!”

A wrinkle appears in Cor’s brow at the pain in that voice but he holds Prompto’s gaze firm as he nods wordlessly.

“Why!” It’s less of a question and more of an exclamation and Cor finally drops his gaze in shame.

“I can’t say,” he admits, regretfully, “but please believe me, I would tell you the truth—no, I wouldn’t even be doing this if I had a choice.” He looks back up at Prompto. “We can’t…” He knows what he should do, make Prompto hate him, push the kid so far away that he’ll never want to come back, but Cor can’t break his heart that way. He loved the little ball of sunshine standing before him, and he _cannot_ darken that light. “I’m sorry, kid, but this is where we get off.”

Prompto shakes his head, clenching his eyes shut so that he doesn’t cry. “No!” he whispers fiercely. “Not until you tell me why!”

Cor lets go of Prompto’s hands. “And I’ve told you I _can’t_,” he rebuffs in a harsher tone than he means. “If you trust me, then you’ll listen when I tell you that! We’re not important anymore, the future of this country is. You do your job and protect the prince, no matter what, and you forget that this thing between us existed.” He turns away and walks back around his desk, sitting down and getting back to work. “You’re dismissed.”

Prompto stares in shocked horror for a solid minute, brain refusing to accept what he’d just been told. He waits for Cor to look back up at him, but the Marshal does not look up from the papers he’s drafting.

“I said you’re dismissed.”

A sob catches in Prompto’s throat and before he can turn and completely leave the office, it escapes him and echoes with his footsteps down the hall. Cor doesn’t even bother to get up from his desk to shut the door. He sets his pen down and buries his face in his hands, but not before a tear escapes from his eye, only to be quickly wiped away.

* * *

Noctis is less than thrilled that he’s summoned to the Citadel again, _after_ leaving in such a hurry after learning the news. His father has things to discuss with both him and Ignis, but there are also things to start packing that he keeps at the Citadel and not his apartment. He doesn’t talk much as they drive there, and says even less as they’re waiting to be seen.

They go up to his old room to pack the aforementioned things before they receive word that King Regis got tied up in other affairs concerning the treaty and can’t see them. Noctis feels a stab of anger and shoves the sword he’s packing into the Armiger before he stalks off out of the room. Ignis hurries after him, joining him in the lift back down to the main floor, but doesn’t say anything.

He knows it won’t help Noctis’s anger right now.

Just as they reach the exit, a voice calls after them and they turn to see a guard running towards them, calling for Ignis. He’s needed somewhere, apparently.

“I’ll be fine, Specs,” Noctis mutters with a shrug as he turns to leave, but Ignis hesitates.

“Someone needs to go with you, Noct,” he replies.

As if on cue, a tall figure appears through the doors and glances at Noctis and Ignis with a smile. “Drautos sent me,” Nyx says to the Adviser with a soft bow to the prince. “He asked that I take him home, since he needs you for a minute.”

Ignis sighs and nods but fishes out the keys from his pocket and tosses them to the Kingsglaive. “Do be careful,” he requests as the guard escorts him down the hall.

Noctis looks at Nyx with a heavy heart, unsure of what to say or do in the moment, certain that Nyx knows everything from the look on the older man’s face. “Come on, Noct,” he says softly. “I think we need to talk.”

Eyes closing at those words, Noctis nods and follows the Kingsglaive out of the Citadel and down the grand stairs to the car. Neither of them say much on the drive back to the apartment, and it’s gotten dark by the time the pull up and go inside. Noctis lets them in once they reach the door, and they walk a few feet in before he stops and turns to face Nyx.

Nyx can’t help thinking how beautiful Noctis looks in the dark. The only light is coming through the windows facing the city, softly illuminating that pale face and highlighting those sapphire eyes. He needs to say something, _anything_, but he doesn’t know what will help. They both know this is their last time together – it needs to be special, right?

“I don’t know what to do,” Noctis rasps out, voice failing him as his gaze drops from Nyx to the floor. “It just never ends, does it? When do _I _get to decide?”

Nyx doesn’t say anything at first, but he steps forward and lifts the prince’s chin so their gazes meet. “Now.”

Noctis frowns in confusion, staring up at the Kingsglaive until he realizes the implication of those words. It takes him a long moment to think it all through, to decide if this is what he really wants. He knows Nyx isn’t asking him to give in to their desires; Nyx is giving him a _choice_, and Noctis truly gets to decide if now is the time.

Is it rushed? Of course, but not of their own doing. This might be the last real decision Noctis gets to make, but it’s a big one. Does he want to give that part of himself away for the first time to someone he might never see again? He thinks about everything they’ve been through so far, all the flirting, all the games, all the rushed emotion when the damn finally broke between them.

Noctis doesn’t know if he loves Nyx, but he feels something he doesn’t feel for anyone else. Not even Luna. A longing that he can’t deny, a sense of _right_ that no one else has made him feel before. He lifts up his hands and cups Nyx’s face as he nods, bringing him down into a kiss, soft and tender. They linger there, wrapped in the sensation of just _being_ there, before Nyx draws back and scoops Noctis up into his arms.

The prince stiffens and looks at the Kingsglaive with a frown. “I don’t like being carried this way,” he says as Nyx lifts a brow, “but for you I’ll make an exception. First door on the left.”

Nyx lets out a soft laugh and shares a kiss as he crosses the living room and heads towards their destination. He lets them in and kicks the door shut behind them, gently of course, before he sets Noctis down on the bed and crawls atop him. They meet in another kiss, soft still but it deepens. Noctis feels his nerves start to rise the longer this goes on, reminded that he’s never done this before and he doesn’t know what he’s doing. As much as he loves the feeling of Nyx’s tongue in his mouth, his thoughts distract him enough to have the Kingsglaive pull back and look at him.

“You okay?”

Noctis bites his lip. “Nervous.”

Nyx smiles and kisses those bitten lips. “I’ll be gentle,” he assures. “I won’t go any faster than you want me to, and if you stay stop, no hard feelings. Deal?”

Studying the older man for a moment, a warmth grows in Noct’s chest at those words. “Deal,” he whispers back as Nyx leans in and he feels lips at his ear.

“…Trust me, kid,” Nyx murmurs, breath warm. “This is gonna be worth your while, believe me.”

When he pulls back and meets the prince’s gaze one final time, Nyx leans in and kisses him again, deep and sensual as he presses his body close. He needs to set the mood, make Noctis _feel_ things and _want _this and _forget_ his worries. He guides the prince through the kiss, encouraging the younger man to explore and take what he wants, smiling as Noctis slowly starts to. Within minutes, he’s fighting to maintain dominance in the kiss and he chuckles into it, lowering his hips and softly dragging them over Noctis’s.

The action earns him a gasp of surprise and Nyx takes control back of the kiss in that moment. He pins the prince onto the bed, rolling his hips with expert precision over Noct’s, slowly, languidly, and they break apart to pant in each other’s mouths as ripples of pleasure course through them. Noctis is already forgetting his worries as his hips buck up into Nyx’s, needy for the friction as he kisses as Nyx’s lips desperately for more.

Smiling, Nyx pulls back and starts undoing his uniform, hips still moving as he multitasks undressing and riding the prince of Lucis. Noctis watches in the dim light as he other man undresses on top of him, blue eyes fluttering as pleasure rolls over him and his fists find the sheets and anchor themselves in them. He uses the leverage to grind back up into Nyx, moving faster for more pleasure, but he gasps when he feels hands stop him.

“Easy, Highness,” Nyx breathes, now bare-chested and _beautiful_. “Can’t go too fast or you’ll come before we even get started.” He leans in and kisses the prince softly, reaching to find the hem of Noctis’s shirt and lift it over his head, then pausing to make sure things are okay and that he’s not going too fast.

Noctis sits up and kisses Nyx in response, letting his body guide him, letting things happen as he feels they should. Things feel _right_. He’s still nervous, but only because this is new and foreign. He lets his hands trace Nyx’s chest, slide up his neck and then back down, touching, feeling. He feels hands on him, returning the gesture, thumbing over his nipples and drawing out a whimper as he arches into the sensation.

Nyx lowers him back down onto the bed and reaches for his belt, pausing and glancing up to make sure it’s okay before he starts undoing it. Noctis bites his lip, nerves growing as he watches, wondering if Nyx will take one look at him and laugh. Would Nyx be that guy?

No. He couldn’t be. Well, Noctis is about to find out. His pants come off with his boxers and Nyx pauses with a soft smile, pressing a kiss to the half-hard length in front of him and whispering, “beautiful.”

“Don’t say that about my dick!” Noctis whines, burying his face in his hands as he blushes, _everywhere._

Nyx laughs and tosses the pants to the floor, rising up onto his knees to take care of his own. “Call ‘em like I see ‘em, champ.”

Noctis pulls his hands away as Nyx undoes his belt, scrambling to sit up and do it for him, pulling them down to expose a man, who not only isn’t wearing underwear, but is packing a very decently sized cock. The prince stops and stares for a moment before he looks up at the Glaive, back down at the length in front of him, and licks his lips.

It only takes him a second to decide, he needs to try something else tonight too. He quickly grabs Nyx’s dick, steadies it, and leans in to take what he can into his mouth. Nyx curses in surprise and anchors a hand in Noctis’s hair, steadying himself as the prince feels his way around his first blowjob. It’s sloppy and uncoordinated, but Nyx has to admit, he’s had worse. He straightens and looks down at the mouth wrapped around his cock, shuddering a bit as he guides Noctis back and forth, giving soft instructions.

He doesn’t want to let this last, but he wants Noctis to do what makes him feel sexy and comfortable, and clearly, the prince wanted to blow his lover. Nyx has _no_ problems with that, but when he feels pleasure start to build, and the desire to fuck that mouth along with it, he has to push Noctis back gently with soft pants of need on his lips.

“Your turn,” he breathes, glancing around and reaching for Noctis’s nightstand drawer.

“…What are you looking for?” the prince asks, voice strained as Nyx produces a bottle of lube. “…How’d you know that would be in there?”

“Because you’re a horny twenty-year-old,” the Kingsglaive laughs as he digs in his pocket for his wallet and pulls out a condom. “Don’t judge me, I’m a safe guy.” He kicks off his pants and crawls over Noctis again, placing the items at their side and kissing the prince softly. “Still okay?”

Noctis steals a quick glance at the lube and condom, swallowing the pit of anxiety in his stomach as he nods. “Y-yeah,” he stammers. “Just nervous.”

“I’ll be gentle,” Nyx reminds, “but like I said, you tell me to stop and we stop, okay?”

Waiting for a nod, Nyx sits back up and reaches to guide the prince’s legs apart, settling between them as he reaches for a spare pillow to put under Noct’s ass. Satisfied, he pulls Noctis closer to bend him a bit, then grabs the lube, warms some in his hands, and slips a lubed finger between the cleft of his ass. He strokes for a moment, meeting the prince’s nervous gaze before he finds that tight hole and gently presses in.

Gasping, Noctis tries to wrap his mind around the sensation he’s feeling, but he can’t. It’s awkward and invading, but not as bad as he thought. He hears Nyx tell him to relax and tries to, taking deep breaths so he can accept that finger until it’s all the way inside of him. Then, Nyx draws back and pushes it in again, establishing a rhythm that isn’t altogether, unpleasant until stars explode in Noctis’s eyes. The world spins, goes completely white, and then he’s back on Eos, panting and blinking.

“W-what, what was that?”

“Just a taste,” Nyx answers with a smirk, thrusting in his fingers again and eliciting a cry of pleasure from the prince. He assaults Noctis’s prostate with his finger, bringing the younger man as much pleasure as he can without overdoing it, getting the prince to relax so that one finger becomes two.

The stretch brings a wince to Noctis’s face, hands gripping the sheets as he adjusts and tries to get through the discomfort if it means feeling that amazing sensation again. He takes deep breaths, calms down, remembers that Nyx knows what he’s doing, and smiling when he realizes he hasn’t thought of stopping _once_.

“Come on, Nyx,” he breathes, licking his dry lips. “I need you.”

Nyx looks up in surprise, those words going straight to his cock in a way he didn’t expect. “You got it, Highness.” He doesn’t rush, he _can’t_, but his fingers pick up the pace, assaulting that spot inside of the prince once more until Noct’s dick is weeping and so is he. He whines for more and Nyx adds a third and final finger to the mix. He’s careful and gentle, but Noctis, although clearly in discomfort, says nothing, grits his teeth to get through the awkward part because he knows what’s coming.

Literally.

Just when he thinks he’s on the verge of orgasming, though he probably couldn’t stop if he really were on the edge, Noctis has to stop himself from screwing himself onto those fingers and grabs Nyx’s wrist. “S-stop,” he begs. “…Get in me.”

Nyx’s heart nearly catches in his throat at that command before he sags in relief and gently pulls his fingers free. He snatches a tissue from the nightstand, cleans his hands, and gets the condom ready and on, followed quickly with some lube. He glances up at the undone prince in front of him, biting his lip at the idea that they were finally going to do this, before he gets into position and presses the head of his cock against that stretched hole.

“…You ready?”

Noctis looks up into those gray eyes and nods without hesitation, fists bunching the sheets once more. He holds that gaze as Nyx presses inside of him, gasping and whimpering in both pain and pleasure at the other man’s girth. His breath is hard, chest heaving as he tries to remember to relax and let Nyx in.

Nyx nearly loses it as that tight warmth envelops him. It’s so tight, so overwhelming, that he just wants to buck and thrust and _rut_ with everything in him, but he’s a more experienced man than that. He guides himself inside, bit by bit, until he’s fully seated in his prince, both of them sharing heavy breaths as they adjust to the sensation of filing and being filled.

Leaning down, Nyx presses a kiss to Noctis’s lips before he pulls back slowly and then thrusts in. The prince jerks with the movement, moans up into the kiss as hands slip over his back. He draws back slowly and thrusts again, gasping into the kiss, another moan, another thrust, and Noctis starts moving with him. Their kiss turns deeper, the bed creaks with their movements, all they hear is skin slapping skin, heavy breaths, wet kisses. The world is spinning, Noctis is overwhelmed with pleasure, the discomfort and light pain all but forgotten as Nyx fucks him, no _makes love_ to him in the darkness of his room when everything felt lost.

Noctis breaks the kiss and throws his head back, losing himself in the feeling, the moment. Nyx buries his face against that pale, sweaty neck, kissing and nipping, moving faster, but desperate to pleasure Noctis before he even thinks about his building release.

Unsure of how he’s managed to last so long without blowing his load, Noctis cries out Nyx’s name in pleasure as he arches hard beneath the older man. He’s gone now, lost to the pleasure, forgetting everything the day had brought as he surrounds himself fin the moment once more. The pleasure overwhelms him, thrust after thrust finding that spot inside of him that makes his world go white, until he’s painting their bodies with it.

When Noctis clenches around him, Nyx cries out against the prince’s neck. That already irresistible tightness becomes like a vice, and Nyx lets himself go inside of it. His thrusts turn erratic, hips jerking with a need for release now that Noctis has found his pleasure, and he reaches up for the headboard for leverage, to go as deep as he’s allowed to go. Noctis cries out again with a need that surprises both of them, and only a few more thrusts brings Nyx over the edge into oblivion. He jerks until he’s completely spent, condom filled, both of them sated.

Noctis looks content and happier than Nyx thinks he’s ever seen him and he sags atop the prince, dotting kisses along his chest as he licks him clean. He can’t help it, it’s a little dirty, may ruin the moment, but he’s never felt so good. Noctis’s fingers find his hair and run through it, and he glances up to find the prince watching, a tired smile on his lips.

Returning the smile, Nyx sits up and carefully pulls out, disposing of the condom and using tissues to clean them up as best he can. He pulls the covers out from beneath them and tucks them in, pulling Noctis against him and lying beside the prince and stroking his hair.

They’re quiet for a long time before Noctis finally breaks the silence. “…I don’t know if I love you,” he says, surprising the Kingsglaive, “but…I wish I’d gotten the chance to find out.”

“Me too, kid,” Nyx whispers back as they lie there and stare at the ceiling together. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SUPER LONG CHAPTER! I'm kind of breezing through the parting ways plot and tweaking it to suit my narrative lol
> 
> sorry for the angst/smut combo, but...ya know, that's where the muse led me. please don't forgot to leave kudos and comments, they're super important to me and help me keep feeling like my writing is worth putting up here <3 and ya know, if you know any cor/prom fiends, send them this way?


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> time to leave insomnia.  
ignis tries to cheer prompto up.  
prompto and gladio talk.

And then, it was time.

Gladio wakes up the morning they’re to leave for Altissia, feeling anxious and worried. Prompto hadn’t returned after running off to talk to Cor, and a couple hours later, Gladio had received some weird cryptic text from the Immortal:

>>_take care of him._

Gladio didn’t have to ask who he’d meant – the text had clearly been about Prompto, but why? He doesn’t feel as elated as he thought he’d be at the idea of the two of them breaking up. It leaves him feeling anxious and uncertain about the future, because _why_? They’d been so happy. What would cause Cor to do something so drastic?

Not to mention, put Prompto in a poor state of mind on his first real mission as a Crownsguard. Hopefully the blond has it in him to partition his brain and shove those feelings to the side so he can perform his duties, but he’s so new to the job that Gladio doubts his capabilities.

Staring at his phone for longer than he should, Gladio finally pulls himself out of bed and dresses, grabbing his things and hurrying off to the Citadel where they’re to meet. King Regis will see them off and then it’s go time.

They all meet up inside, and no one’s really talking. Prompto and Noctis are both putting on brave faces, but Gladio knows Noctis too well for the façade to work, and it’s really not too hard to see the sadness reflected in Prompto’s eyes. Gladio frowns, thinking this is hardly the way to start off a trip, because even if the end game isn’t what they want, it’s a great opportunity to have fun and spend time together at least, right?

Finally, King Regis is ready to receive them, but there’s something different about him today. The glint in his eyes is gone and Gladio reads an almost…defeatist aura about him, it’s hard to explain. His words are sharp and laced with an edge that surprises the Shield, and Noctis seems to pick it up as well, but not in the same way. He sees it as a father telling his son not to fuck things up, and seems rather uncomfortable with the conversation as a whole.

They leave rather abruptly until the king calls after Noctis on the steps. Gladio turns as well but notices Cor waiting by the car and hesitates. Prompto’s already noticed and keeps his back to the Marshal, focusing on Noctis as best he can while the prince and king, father and son, exchange words a final time.

Finally free of formalities, the four of them pile into the _Regalia_, and Prompto’s demeanor shrinks as he passes Cor and gets in the front seat, fidgeting with his camera as he tries not to look up or pay the older man any mind. It’s breaking him, and they all notice and Ignis and Noctis both realize something happened, but only the prince looks at Cor in shock as they drive away.

Ignis drives them out of the city in awkward silence, glancing at Prompto several times and unable to bear it anymore as he pulls to the side and looks at the blond. “Care to drive?”

Prompto’s gaze snaps up in surprise and he nearly drops his camera as he stammers in shock. “M-me?” He points at himself. “…You…you _trust_ me with the _Regalia_?”

“More so than His Highness,” Ignis jokes in reply, checking the road before he gets out and trades seats with a now excited Prompto.

The blond slides into the driver’s seat, letting out a shuddered breath of nerves and excitement as he strokes the steering wheel and admires the interior on this side of the car. He glances at Ignis as if to make sure this isn’t a joke before he’s reminded of the basics – seatbelt, mirrors, seat adjustment. His legs aren’t as long as Ignis’s.

Even Noctis is curious as he watches his friend settle into the driver’s seat while Gladio smiles a little and touches Ignis’s shoulder silently in appreciation. Prompto’s excitement bleeds into his companions as he carefully puts the car in drive and pulls back onto the road, hands gripping the wheel at ten and two like a good student as he drives them down the road away from their home.

Conversation sparks, and although the subject is touchy, they talk about Luna and Altissia and what Noctis and her were like as kids. Prompto gets a little too excited and looks back at Noctis, only to be sharply reprimanded with a pointed finger at the road from Ignis, that Prompto quickly acknowledges.

The sun climbs in the sky as they drive along, but just when Prompto yawns and thinks it’s time to switch back with Ignis, the _Regalia_ makes an awful noise and starts to slow down. Yelping, Prompto lets go of the wheel in alarm before realizing his error and gripping the wheel as he pulls to the side and looks at Ignis.

“What did I do?”

Ignis scoffs softly with a smile and shakes his head. “Nothing, Prompto,” he assures softly. “Something seems to be wrong with our engine.”

Gladio groans from the backseat. “Smack dab in the middle of Insomnia and Hammerhead.”

“What do we do?” Noctis asks in concern.

“Simple,” Ignis says with a sigh as he tries to call a number and gets a busy signal. “Or perhaps not. We may have to push.”

* * *

After several failed calls, the four of them resort to pushing, taking turns in the driver’s seat to steer the car, as a break from pushing. It takes hours to travel those few miles to Hammerhead from where they broke down, and they’re exhausted by the time they push the car into the lot of the garage.

They meet Cindy, inform her of the _Regalia’s_ problems, but when it turns out they have no money to pay with – oops, oversight on the trip planning? – they’re sent off into the wild to take care of some pest problems and find a man who’s gone missing.

Fair enough.

Unfortunately, tracking the monsters plaguing the area takes longer than planned. The sun is setting and if they turn back now, it will be dark before they get back. Daemons are no joke out here, so they’re forced to find a haven, but Ignis is well-prepared and guides them to one nearby by way of map.

They set up camp and Ignis pulls out equipment to start cooking, but with distractions now pretty much gone, Noctis and Prompto’s sullen attitudes start to return, and not even _King’s Knight_ seems to help. Ignis glances over his shoulder and meets Gladio’s gaze, both of them silently agreeing on something unspoken as the Adviser calls Noctis over to help with cooking while Gladio calls Prompto to help with the tent.

Prompto doesn’t see the trap for what it is and goes over willingly, briefly overhearing Noctis whining about vegetables as Gladio hands him a tool. “Wanna bang this into the ground for me?”

Looking at the tool, then the pick in the ground, then Gladio, Prompto lifts an eyebrow. “Aren’t you worried about your fingers?” he asks, a small smile on his face. “I have bad aim.”

“…Since when?” Gladio laughs. “Did you or did you not pass the Crownsguard tests with near-perfect scores?”

“A gun is not the same as a…what even is this, a hammer?” Prompto turns the tool in his hands and looks at Gladio. “You _sure_ you want my help?”

Gladio turns serious, grateful for the privacy being on the other side of the tent gives them. “No, blondie,” he says. “I wanna make sure you’re okay.”

Prompto blinks up in surprise as the small smile fades and he hands the hammer back to Gladio. “I’m fine.”

Gladio takes the hammer but pulls Prompto back to him before the blond can walk away. He catches Prompto when he accidentally pulls too hard and looks down into those violet eyes. “I’m serious,” he says. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out, and I…” He sighs. “I don’t have to explain the rest, tell me what I can do.”

Prompto’s expression turns angry for a moment but he closes his eyes and fights it back, taking a breath and letting out a heavy sigh. “If it were that easy to fix, don’t you think I would’ve tried something by now?” he asks quietly. “You can’t fix this, Gladio.”

The big guy is silent for a long moment as he takes Prompto’s hand more tenderly than the blond expects and he glances up in surprise. “I don’t like to see you sad,” Gladio says. “I want you to be happy, even if that means fixing things with Cor for you.”

Prompto closes his eyes again at the mention of Cor’s name, feeling his heart sink and the tears bubble up inside. His lip quivers but suddenly he’s against Gladio’s warm chest, encased in those arms, and he struggles not to cry. He feels safe here, but he doesn’t feel much more than that. He knows what Gladio wants, but he doesn’t know if he can give it to him.

He doesn’t know what he wants right now.

Gladio pulls back after a minute and looks down at Prompto, offering a smile. “Sorry, I’m not tryin’ to…” He sighs and grips the blond’s shoulders in his hands. “I’m just tryin’ to help, so if I’m bein’ too much, I’m sorry.”

Meeting Gladio’s gaze, Prompto finally smiles a little, wiping at his eyes from where the tears threatened to spill earlier. “It’s okay,” he reassures. “I know.” He looks back up at the big guy in front of him before he stands on his toes and presses a kiss to Gladio’s cheek just as Ignis calls out that dinner is ready.

They all congregate in the folding chairs by the fire and eat as Gladio cracks some jokes and Ignis tells a story or two, easing the tension felt earlier and distracting the two youths as they hear some stories that are new even to them.

After dinner, they’re all quick to clean up for bed. After pushing a car and trekking out across the hot landscape, they’re all pretty exhausted and set up their sleeping bags inside the tent before passing out shortly after.

But Prompto can’t fall asleep. He sits up and makes sure the others are asleep, Gladio is most definitely with that snoring. With Ignis, it’s hard to tell – but his back is to Prompto and Noctis is pressed up against him from behind, even in the sleeping bag, so Prompto makes his move and slips out of the tent into the darkness of the night.

The glowing runes on the haven are eerie but beautiful as Prompto pads across the stone floor to the edge, sitting down and staring up at the multitude of stars above him. It’s chilled down considerably since the sun set, a soft wind blowing and making the hairs on his arms rise, but it’s a nice change and Prompto feels more at home in the cold for some reason.

Sighing, Prompto tries not to think about what led him out here, but he can’t help it. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about that last conversation with Cor since it happened. He cried all night, stared at his phone hoping Cor would come to his senses, but nothing. He doesn’t understand, and he hates that it broke him this way. Maybe if he’d seen it coming, or maybe if he’d understood what Cor’s reasoning was, he’d be more at ease.

Maybe he’d still be a hot mess like he is now, Prompto doesn’t know. He’d like to think he’d have handled it better if things had been different, but…

“Chocobo?”

The deep voice startles Prompto so bad, he nearly falls off the edge of the haven, but Gladio’s firm hand grabs him in the dark and steadies him.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Gladio murmurs as he lets go. “I’m makin’ a mess of things, huh.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Saw your sleepin’ bag was empty and got worried.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Prompto replies softly, shrugging as he looks back out into the night. “Do I need to come back in? I can…” He starts to get up, but Gladio gently pushes him back down and sits beside him.

“Nah,” the big guy says, “as long as you don’t mind some company.”

Prompto hesitates, but only because he doesn’t know where this is going. He doesn’t feel like Gladio is trying to fill the hole Cor left, but what else could he want? He realizes, though, that he doesn’t want to be alone, and nods before he lets himself lean against the other man for the warmth.

To his surprise, Gladio doesn’t say anything, doesn’t force conversation, just sits there with him while he tries to figure things out. And honestly, that is all Prompto could’ve asked for. He stares up at the stars for what feels like forever, closes his eyes to calm down, and almost falls asleep until Gladio shifts and puts an arm around him.

Realizing he’d woken Prompto, Gladio smiles in embarrassment. “Sorry,” he whispers. “Didn’t want you to fall.”

Prompto gazes up into those amber eyes in the dark, shifts closer now that that arm is around him, and realizes that maybe he doesn’t…_have_ to be alone. Would it be fair to Gladio to be with him so soon after Cor? Would Gladio even care?

Probably not.

But he’s the one who kisses Gladio first, and Gladio’s the one that pulls him into his lap. He deepens the kiss and loses himself in it, forgetting what’s hurting if Gladio can make it feel better as hands slide under the big guy’s tank, and hands muss up Prompto’s hair. Just like last time, he’s gone for those few glorious seconds where only Gladio exists in the world until they move against each other, snapping Prompto out of the reverie and back to reality.

He’s horny and sad and flustered, but he can’t justify this. “No,” he whispers, shaking his head and licking his lips. “It’s not fair. I can’t.”

But Gladio kisses him and tugs them together before whispering in his ear, “not fair to who?” He grinds again, hand firmly on Prompto’s ass for leverage as he pants in the younger man’s ear. “Come on, Prom, I’ll make you feel better.”

Prompto melts into the sex machine that is Gladio, half-hating himself for giving in, but the rest of him _needing_ this. He needs the distraction, he needs the rebound-sex, and if Gladio is aware of the potential cost to himself, then it’s no fault of Prompto’s, right? He’d done his best to warn the big guy, and Gladio had dismissed it.

They don’t fuck, they just move against each other, locked in a deep, messy kiss as Gladio ruts up against Prompto, hand still firmly on the blond’s ass to guide and press the younger man hard against himself. Prompto’s knees hurt from the stone floor, but he rocks against Gladio with a desperate need, letting himself go as the kiss moves to his neck and Gladio bites. He has to bite his lip hard to keep himself from crying out, a muffled moan escaping his lips as they move faster, pants escaping their lips as the clothes and friction give them what the need.

Prompto comes first with a whimper, pressing his face against Gladio’s shoulder as he soils his pants and jerks into the big guy, feeling his dick through those sweatpants, pressing into his thigh. A few more ruts and Gladio follows him, panting in his ear as they come down from their high and face the reality that they have to hide their clothes and get new ones before the others see.

Feeling dirty and unsatisfied, Prompto sits back in Gladio’s lap, wishing they’d just actually fucked instead of doing this, but a part of him is glad they hadn’t. He’s not sure it would’ve made him feel any better or worse. He’d needed the release for sure, and he’s at a point of attraction to Gladio to where he needs to do this again, but the rest of him is acknowledging the fact that he doesn’t feel for Gladio what Gladio feels for him.

Can this just be sexual? Would that be enough? Prompto isn’t sure. He spends more time in Gladio’s lap than he means to before the big guy suggests they get some sleep and helps him to his feet. They change quickly in the night and shove their soiled clothes in the Armiger before carefully crawling back into the tent.

The next morning, they wake to Ignis cooking breakfast, leaving a sleeping Noctis in the tent as they go to greet the new morning. It’s still a bit chilly as Prompto stretches and goes to sit in a chair, smiling at Ignis as he yawns.

“That smells great, Iggy,” he compliments through the yawn as Ignis smiles and silently notes the change of clothes.

When Gladio emerges behind Prompto, also in a new change of clothes, it’s Ignis’s turn to grow a bit downcast and distant as he turns back to the breakfast and sighs to himself. He can’t jump to conclusions, but it’s easy to make assumptions. He glances over his shoulder, but Prompto and Gladio aren’t grinning at each other or doing anything out of the ordinary.

In fact, Prompto seems a little glum and Gladio seems his usual early morning self. Ignis isn’t sure what to make of that and turns back to cooking again, hoping that he hasn’t lost just yet. It wouldn’t be fair to him if he tried something with Gladio now, but even Ignis is aware that something went down between Cor and Prompto, so naturally Gladio is taking a shot.

Maybe the change of clothes means nothing, maybe Ignis still has a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance if I move around the next few chapters weird. I don't want to write about each and every little thing that happens in the game, it's not really conducive to the fic's plot, so I might skip ahead. I don't plan to gloss over any major plot points, but I don't want to spend a whole chapter writing about the game, you know?
> 
> anyway, bear with me <3 and don't forget to comment and leave kudos. i've lost a couple of regular commenters on this fic (or well, they didn't comment on the last chapter!), so I'm a little anxious and down about finishing this rarepair fic D:


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a bit more game plot.  
a little bit of gladnis.  
and some sad angst...

After wrapping up business in Hammerhead, the group continues on. Ignis coaxes Noctis into driving and they all watch with light teasing curiosity as the prince drives them to the next town over so they can drop off a package for Cindy. They don’t linger there long – Galdin Quay is right around the corner, in a manner of speaking, and they need to catch a boat to Altissia before dark.

So, they pile back into the _Regalia, _though Ignis drives this time, and while Noctis and Gladio bicker about something in the back, Prompto had noticed Ignis’s slightly down demeanor earlier and tilts his head at the Adviser. “Hey Iggy,” he braves to ask, “you okay?”

Ignis looks over in surprise at the young blond, but betrays himself by glancing back at Gladio before returning his gaze to the road. “I’m quite fine, Prompto,” he reassures. “Why do you ask?”

Shrugging, Prompto fidgets with his camera. “I dunno,” he says, noticing the glance at first but not thinking anything of it. “You just seem kinda down. Should I tell some jokes?”

Laughing, Ignis shakes his head and touches Prompto’s hand briefly. “No, thank you,” he replies, “though I appreciate the sentiment.”

Prompto offers a smile, but wonders what Ignis could be hiding. He sighs and shrugs again before he turns to look out the window and spies Gladio through the side mirror, reading a book. He thinks to himself for a moment about what they’d done, hating himself more and more for what had happened when he thinks about Cor.

This has less to do with Gladio and more about Cor – if Cor didn’t exist, Prompto probably couldn’t see himself with anyone _but_ Gladio, but until he stops hurting and thinking about Cor, he can’t…he can’t be fair to the big guy. But he doesn’t want to hurt Gladio’s feelings, and isn’t sure—

Prompto jerks upright at the sudden realization and looks at Ignis with a shocked expression. Ignis must have noticed their change of clothes from last night. Is he _jealous_? With Noctis sleeping and Gladio too absorbed in his book to be paying attention, Prompto gambles as he leans in towards Ignis and smirks.

“You like Gladio.”

The _Regalia_ jerks to the side, causing Noctis to squawk awake in protest as Gladio’s book nearly goes flying out of his hand. “Iggy, what the fuck?” he and Noctis chime together.

“Didn’t you see that in the road?” Ignis asks as smoothly as he can, feigning ignorance as he checks the rearview mirror for said thing that didn’t exist. He shoots a rather venomous glare at Prompto, who merely grins in reply and sits back, feeling rather confident with himself as he tries to think about how to get this all sorted.

They reach Galdin Quay a few hours later, and peruse the sights a bit at first, venturing down a dock to let Noctis destress by fishing. He hasn’t really said much about Nyx, and even less about the marriage since that first conversation yesterday, but no one presses, so maybe he’s doing better than they think. Or maybe one of them _should_ ask. They’re all content to watch him fish for a bit, however, and afterward, eventually give some of that fish to a cat they find on the walkway into the resort.

As they approach the main building of the resort, they encounter a weird, disheveled man in strange garb right outside the entrance, even Prompto feels the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Who _is_ this guy with his strange coin and weird clothes? He tells them the boats aren’t taking people anywhere, which has Ignis in a fit as he leaves. They rush through the resort and out to the docks on the other side, where sure enough, another weird guy confirms the information while confirming he knows Noctis’s true identity.

He offers to help, for a price.

And that’s how they find themselves leaving Galdin Quay to fetch stones for this Dino. If it gets him off Noctis’s back and also a ship to Altissia, no one’s complaining…too much. They head into the nearby hills surrounding the quay, and after a harrowing encounter with a _way too big bird_, the four of them climb back down the hills and return their conquest to Dino.

Despite their quick efforts, Dino can’t pull a boat out of the air this late at night, they’re forced to stay at the hotel, and pile into one of the comfy rooms of the resort. Prompto decides to coax Gladio out because he needs to get the big guy alone to talk. He can’t help but do it under false pretenses though, and sure enough, once they’re out in the hall, Gladio’s pressing him up against the opposite wall, kissing him. It’s so outrageous that Prompto laughs before he pushes him back.

“Keeping it in your pants all day really got to you, huh?” he asks. “Too bad we got nowhere to do it.”

“I’ll find a place,” Gladio growls, leaning back in for more, but Prompto pushes him back again, serious now.

“Gladio, I can’t…” the blond says, feeling guilty for misleading Gladio, but he hadn’t wanted to have this conversation in front of the others.

Gladio frowns and pulls back, trying not to be angry, but he’s confused. “What’re you talkin’ about?”

“This isn’t fair to you,” Prompto protests. “…I’m…I’m still hurting. I can’t give you what you’re looking for aside from a booty call, and…that’s not fair to either of us.” He lowers his head, guilty and ashamed. “I like you too much to do that to you, as a friend, and if this… If things with Cor hadn’t happened the way they had, I’d be…_so_ about this, but…” He sighs and fidgets before dropping his hands and looking Gladio in the eye. “I need to get over Cor first.”

Gladio doesn’t say anything at first, his brow furrowed in anger, but he seems more hurt than angry. But he knows Prompto is right, he just doesn’t want the blond to be. The truth is, he knows better, but he couldn’t help what he’d wanted, and maybe, if he tried and coaxed Prompto enough, he could get the other man to see it too.

Blinking several times as he processes all of this, Gladio steps back and Prompto follows him. “…Maybe you should talk to Ignis,” he suggests vaguely.

Gladio’s brow furrows and he’s a little too hurt right now to deal with Prompto’s weird game. “Huh?” he growls.

Prompto takes a step back with a frown. “Tell him I dumped you.” And with that, the blond hurries off down the hall, hoping he’d succeeded in getting Gladio off his case and into Ignis’s. He waits around the corner for a few minutes and sure enough, as planned, Noctis appears a few minutes later.

“So…what was that about?”

With a push off the wall, Prompto sighs and walks with Noctis outside. “Gladio and I kinda hooked up last night,” he says, giving the prince a look. “It was weird and I…I can’t do that again. It was… It’s too soon. I know he likes me and _Six,_ he’s hot, but I don’t think it was meant to be, dude.” He leans against the railing on the walkway and shrugs. “I hate to say it, but…no one but Cor feels right to me right now, and if I’m not meant to be with him either, then I guess I have to wait until the time comes where I can accept that before I go looking for anything else.”

Noctis offers a little smile and nods. “That’s pretty mature,” he compliments. “Didn’t expect that from you.”

Prompto gives him a look and shoves the prince before they laugh and stare out at the sea. “Hopefully he and Ignis can work this next part out themselves because I’m not sure how good a cupid I am.”

Laughing again, Noctis nods and glances at the phone in his hand, but doesn’t bring up Nyx in the silence that follows and Prompto doesn’t pester him. Instead, they opt to play _King’s Knight _out on the sand while they wait to see if the rest of their plan falls into place.

* * *

When Gladio comes back into the room and announces that Prompto dumped him to Ignis, the Adviser blinks in surprise and looks to Noctis when the prince announces he should go check on his friend. Mind racing, Ignis tries not to let his expression show anything other than confusion as he rises to his feet.

“…You two were together?” he questions in surprise.

“Ugh, not really,” Gladio mutters as he plops down on the edge of one of the beds. “…I thought maybe with Cor bein’ out of the picture, I had a shot now, but… I guess last night was just pent-up frustration for both of us. He… Well, I guess he did try to tell me, not his fault…”

“You seem rather upset,” Ignis observes quietly from a few steps away and Gladio looks up in response.

“Huh?” he questions before shaking his head. “Not upset, just…confused. I really thought I wanted to be with him, but…maybe I kinda knew it wasn’t gonna happen. I guess I’m…just angry at myself more than anything. It was sudden and stupid, and now it’s over.”

Ignis feels his chest inflate with a hope he can’t hide at those words. Gladio isn’t heartbroken, and since they’re all clearly clueless when it comes to romance, Ignis does the only thing none of them had done to each other – he goes for it. He crosses the room and slides into Gladio’s lap in one fluid motion, straddling the big guy as he kisses him, deep and warm and sensuous.

Gladio kisses back, stunned into doing so, but after what feels like eons in his brain, the dots finally connect and he realizes that Ignis has been waiting for him for a long time. It must have been torture for the other man to watch and wait while Gladio longed for another, and Gladio ponders as they kiss, if he wants Ignis the same way. Ignis is good looking, talented, devoted to the Crown, and Gladio’s always liked him as a friend, but he’d never stopped to think about Ignis any other way.

Feeling distraction come into the kiss, Ignis pulls back and looks down into those amber eyes, gloved hands cupped around Gladio’s thick neck. “Is this alright?” he asks. “We don’t have to do this.”

“How long?” Gladio asks in reply.

“How long?”

“How long have you felt this way?”

Ignis responds with a rare blush as he licks his lips and sits back. “Since we were old enough to feel this way,” he answers quietly, hands leaving Gladio’s neck to settle on those broad shoulders. “Always thought you preferred women until Noct became friends with Prompto and I realized you were absolutely smitten with him when you first met.” His gaze drops and he shrugs. “I assumed you didn’t find me attractive, which naturally hurt my pride, so I decided to absorb myself in my duties and hope for your crush to either pass or become something.”

“Shit…” Gladio breathes in reply as he reaches to turn Ignis’s face towards his own. “Iggy, I just… I never _thought_ about it. I guess I…” He lets out a laugh. “It’s not that I don’t think you’re good lookin’, I just… I guess by the time I realized what I liked, Prom came into the picture and had me forgettin’ everythin’ else.” He cups Ignis’s face in his hands and thinks long and hard for a moment. “I’m sorry for not noticin’ before, but I really want to see where this goes.”

Ignis smiles at those words and kisses Gladio again, deeper than before, excitement and arousal rising inside of him at the opportunity to finally get what he’s been pining for all these years. He pulls back after a moment and rises from the bed, shrugging off his jacket and toeing off his shoes.

“Oh Iggy,” Gladio dares to tease, “I can see your ankles.”

“Ha ha,” Ignis drones in reply, but he’s smiling as he unbuttons his shirt slowly and watches Gladio all the while.

And Gladio is watching, pausing briefly to tug off his tank top, hoping the sight of his bared chest will only fuel Ignis’s fire. It does. Ignis crawls back into his lap and kisses him down onto the bed, still unbuttoning his shirt as Gladio’s hands swoop in once his chest his exposed.

Gladio rolls them over so that he’s on top, but gets up off the bed to kick off his pants and dig around in his bag. Ignis sits up, a bit miffed at the interruption, until he realizes what the other man is doing and hurriedly takes off his pants.

“I suppose we better hurry,” Ignis says after a moment when Gladio finds what he’s looking for and returns to the bed. “I’d rather be under the covers by the time Prompto and Noctis return.”

“Dude, Iggy,” Gladio laughs as he crawls over the other man. “I’m pretty sure they set this up.”

Ignis blinks and looks up in alarm. “What?” he asks before remembering Prompto in the car and almost scowling. “Prompto.”

“I think we oughta thank him later,” Gladio says as he hooks a finger around the waistband of Ignis’s briefs and pulls. “Because this is gonna be fun.”

* * *

It’s a couple hours later before Gladio emerges from the resort in search of Noctis and Prompto. It doesn’t take him long to spot them on the sand, laying down next to each other and staring at the sky. It’s probably not too safe for them to be out at night with the threat of daemons, but there are lights around, so it’s probably not as big a risk as Gladio thinks.

He gets within earshot and calls for them. Apparently Noctis had dozed and jerks awake as Prompto sits up and turns to look at the big guy. “Guess they’re done,” he hears the blond say to the prince and he lifts an eyebrow while crossing his arms.

Noctis snickers as he runs past Gladio but Prompto get stopped by one thick arm and he looks up in uncertainty. “Everything okay, big guy?”

Feigning a scowl for a moment longer, Gladio tugs Prompto into a hug and holds him for a moment before he finally lets go. Prompto smells the faint scent of sex underneath the soap from the shower Gladio clearly took, and smiles up at him.

“Guess you scored, huh?”

Gladio rolls his eyes and shoves at Prompto’s shoulder. “How did you know?”

“Actually, kind of…figured it out today,” the blond admits, shrugging and toeing at the sand. “He seemed kind of bummed, and it started when you and I got up this morning. I think he’d noticed we’d changed our clothes and put two and two together. I mean, I still think it’s a bit of a stretch for him to have done that, unless he heard us or… I don’t know.” He shrugs again. “I want you to be happy, and I can’t do that for you. I was hoping there would be something there between you and Iggy, and I’m glad there was. I’m sorry I couldn’t be that person for you.”

Gladio’s expression softens at those words and he puts a hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “I know things are gonna work out for you too, blondie,” he says in reply, “and don’t be sorry. I should be the one apologizin’ for bein’ a little too forward with you, especially while you were with…” He trails off, wondering if he should keep saying Cor’s name or not. “Well, you know. I should’ve known better, and if there’s anythin’ I can do to help, all you gotta do is ask, okay?”

Prompto nods with a smile, knowing Gladio means those words as they both turn to head back inside the resort and to their room. Gladio and Ignis share a bed of course, and Prompto is more than happy to bunk with Noctis for the night. Like they haven’t shared a bed together before over the course of the years and their numerous sleepovers.

But morning comes with devastating news.

Ignis had left to go get coffee and see about breakfast, but returns without either and holds a newspaper instead. None of them understand the problem until Noctis grabs it and reads the words “INSOMNIA HAS FALLEN” blazed across the front. None of them understand what it means, and none of them know quite what to do, but Noctis doesn’t believe it, and _has_ to see the city for himself.

They leave Galdin Quay in a rush, the ship to Altissia forgotten, not even an option any more at this point, and fly down the roads back to their home. It takes them hours of tense silence to return, with little discussion made other than speculation as to how and why this had happened while Dreadnoughts fly overhead, bearing ill tidings of what they expect to find. But the roads are closed right outside the city and Ignis has to take a detour to get them closer.

What’s worse is that they have to fight their way to get to the overlook at the end of the path. Sparse groups of Imperials lie in waiting, but Noctis slashes through them, undeterred. It’s Prompto’s first real chance to prove he’s here to protect his prince, but he can’t feel the pride he wishes he could given the circumstances. When they finally reach the overlook that gives them a view of the city, they find it in smoke and ruins, utter destruction everywhere. The rain does little to help their mood and as Prompto tunes into the radio for any sort of news, the worst of it is confirmed.

The king is dead, Luna is missing, and the Crystal is lost.

Apparently, Noctis is presumed dead as well, but as fun as that would be to laugh at right now, no one is smiling. Regis is dead, which gives little hope for Clarus, and what about Cor? And Nyx?

Just as things feel like they’re spiraling out of control for Noctis as all this news sinks in, his phone rings, and he answers it to “…Cor?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this chapter is off too.. Trying to balance game plot and my plot are hard because I don't want to breeze through the game plot under the assumption y'all all know it, but like I said last chapter, I don't want to write the game plot out - there's no...need, you know?
> 
> ANYWAY. I hope you liked <3 Please don't forget to leave kudos and comments, it's so important to me and all writers that we hear from you! And if you know any more Cor/Prom shippers, please share this fic :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they go meet cor.  
prompto isn't okay.  
but cor has something to say.

Prompto feels his heart leap into his throat when he hears Noctis say that name – Cor. Cor is _alive_. He waits with bated breath while the prince talks to the Marshal, while they all wait, wondering what could possibly come next. Noctis hangs up and advises them all they’re to meet Cor out by Hammerhead. It seems so sudden, torn between lingering where they are and mourning their losses, or running out to Hammerhead to find the Marshal.

Prompto wants to say something, anything to his friends because it’s not just Noctis who’d lost someone today, but he looks at Gladio and can’t find the words. Both Clarus and Iris are likely gone. They all have to be strong now and he doesn’t know how they’re doing it; he doesn’t understand how Noctis isn’t breaking down, or how Gladio seems like a wall. Ignis is attentive to the prince as they make their way back down the hill through the ruins and back to the _Regalia_, but Noctis doesn’t say much in response.

Lingering back beside Gladio, Prompto touches his arm and nods to him when those amber eyes find him, but he doesn’t say anything. There’s nothing to say other than the obvious and it just doesn’t feel right, for some reason. There’s a small smile on Gladio’s lips as he nods back at the blond and they continue back to the car in silence.

There will be time to grieve later, Prompto supposes. They reach the car without incident and make the drive back to Hammerhead in silence, parking by the garage in search of Cor, but they find Cid and get more insight from him than they expect. A moment happens where Noctis learns about the past as Cid takes the moment to grieve, but it passes, and they learn that Cor has headed north and is waiting at the tombs past the outpost.

Not wanting to waste any more time, they hurry out from Hammerhead in the direction of the outpost. With a distraction, the mood lifts lightly and sparse conversation is made as they trek north, but Prompto lingers near the back, heart pounding as he thinks about seeing Cor. He expects the worst – he doesn’t anticipate that the Marshal will even bother speaking with him. And it’s not a matter of poor self-confidence, it’s the situation at hand: Insomnia has been destroyed and Cor is there to hopefully help them, not soothe Prompto’s romantic wounds.

But at the same time, Prompto deserves an explanation from the older man that he doesn’t know if he’ll ever get, and maybe now isn’t the time, but if not now, then when? When will he see Cor again after this? When will this be over? If he doesn’t get what he needs from Cor now, then he might never get it, and Prompto doesn’t know how to _heal_ from that.

Too caught up in his thoughts, Prompto hasn’t noticed they’re nearing the outpost. His eyes begin searching desperately for the Marshal before he remembers the man is at the tombs, not the outpost. But his heart lifts, along with the others, when they spot multiple survivors, including Monica, who informs Gladio that Iris is safe. The news lifts a weight from the big guy’s shoulders and Prompto doesn’t miss the brief touch that Ignis gives Gladio’s backside.

Even Noctis seems relieved that people made it out, especially Iris.

Confirming Cor is waiting for them at the tombs, the group continues on past the outpost, as the sun starts to set and the danger of daemons grows higher. But just as it disappears beyond the surrounding cliff-faces, they come upon the tomb and Prompto’s stomach clenches. Cor’s just inside.

Noctis leads them inside the tomb, and Ignis, aware of Prompto’s dilemma, greets the Marshal as neutrally as possible. Prompto stares right at the man, relieved he’s safe, yet furious and hurt over their last interaction. He tears his gaze away, refusing to look at Cor again as he listens to Noctis begrudgingly ask why they’re here.

Cor explains about the Power of Kings, that it is Noctis’s birthright to reclaim this power from each of the tombs scattered across the lands now that he is king. Noctis’s reaction is far below what it should be, but given what he’s been through, it’s hard to blame him, but his response to Cor earns him stunned looks from all of his companions. Cor is swift to check Noctis and remind him of his duty to his people, and as angry as Prompto is at the Immortal, listening to him speak so eloquently in light of the circumstances reminds him of why he’d idolized the man for so long.

But Noctis isn’t finished. He lets go of what he’d been holding back since this morning and demands to know why his father sacrificed Insomnia to save him, and Prompto stares at his friend in surprise. Is _that_ what had happened? Cor tries again to rein the newly crowned king in, but Noctis finally breaks down against the entombed king, demanding to know why he’d been lied to by his own father.

Prompto turns away, feeling humbled and stupid for thinking he could use this encounter with Cor as an opportunity to get answers. He keeps forgetting about all the loss they’d suffered today because it hadn’t impacted him like it had his own best friend. He’s near tears and tries to hold them in as he listens to Cor try and comfort Noctis, but he fails yet again to stop thinking about himself, he wants words like that to be directed at him.

Why couldn’t Cor have been like this when they’d last talked? Why hadn’t Prompto gotten this same level of respect – not royal, but civil respect? Why had he been denied a conversation he could’ve handled if Cor had just been _honest_?

Turning back towards the others, Prompto glances at Cor and then lowers his head, trying to focus on Noctis and being there for him, even if all he can do is stand there and listen and face the man who had broken his heart. He gasps and looks up when Noctis activates the power of the kings, the bright light filling the dark tomb and causing them all to shield their eyes as the prince-turned-king absorbs the power and gains a new ability.

Prompto is the first to leave the tomb as Cor announces that they should find a place to rest for the night before he escorts them to the next tomb since it’s nearby, but it’s too dark to travel safely. He tries to distract himself by making dumb jokes for Noctis, but he laughs a little too hard and it’s Gladio who notices he’s borderline tears and tugs him away to talk.

“Gladio, don’t.”

“Blondie, you okay?”

“No, don’t…don’t ask me that,” Prompto protests. “This isn’t about me. I’m trying so hard, dude, but I’m just a kid with a broken heart. I didn’t lose anyone today. I should be asking you that. H-how are you holding up?”

Gladio stares down at Prompto and pulls him into a hug while the others reach the haven and start setting up. “We’re all gonna be grievin’ for a long time, kid,” he says softly, “but what you’re feelin’ counts too. Bein’ around him isn’t gonna be easy, so just…let me know what I can do.”

Relishing in the warm embrace just because it’s a touch he needs, Prompto pulls back after a moment and wipes his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” He nods and tries to smile. “I’m gonna…take a walk, clear my head. I won’t go far, I promise. Daemons and all that…”

“Holler if you need us.”

Watching Prompto walk away, Gladio frowns and turns to head up onto the haven. He spots Cor watching from the edge and his frown deepens into a scowl at the Marshal. He knows this isn’t exactly the best time to be worrying about romance and relationships, but Cor did Prompto dirty in his opinion, and he should set the record straight while he has the opportunity. It’s only fair to Prompto.

But it isn’t Gladio’s place to say anything. Maybe he should shout Cor down in front of everyone, but it has to be Cor who makes that decision to go to Prompto and fix things. If he’s guilted or humiliated into it, it just…wouldn’t be the same.

“Where’s Prompto?” Noctis ends up asking.

“Took a walk to clear his head,” Gladio says as he pulls out the tent. “He promised he wouldn’t go far. I trust him.” He glances at Cor and goes back to the task at hand, but the next time he glances up, the Marshal isn’t there.

* * *

Gladio doesn’t have to give him dirty looks for Cor to know he’s in the wrong, but even if he has an excuse and a reason for doing what he did, those reasons pale in the grand scheme of the situation they all find themselves in. As soon as he realizes Prompto’s alone, Cor slips away to find him – just like they all know, this is the only opportunity he’ll probably get to set things straight. He just needs to be honest with Prompto, tell him the truth, and hopefully, the kid will understand.

Hopefully, he’ll forgive Cor because he… He sighs at the thought. With everything that happened before the prince had left Insomnia, Cor hadn’t expected to live past the Niflheim assault – they’d known it was coming, they just hadn’t known how bad it would be.

Yet Cor gets put on patrol duty outside the city and escapes unscathed. It isn’t right.

He heads in the direction he hopes Prompto went in, an outcropping of rocks not too far from the haven. Just as he thinks he’s wrong, because he doesn’t see anything in the beam of his flashlight, the soft sound of crying reaches his ears, and Cor comes to a stop. It feels like he’s been punched in the gut as he listens to Prompto cry and everything he’d planned to say goes out the window. It feels like only now he understands the damage his words have done.

Turning away to give himself a minute, Cor struggles not to let those tears bring his own to the surface. He’d been wrong, and now he has to fix things, but how? He shakes his head, takes a breath, and comes around the edge of the rocks to find Prompto slumped back against the rocks, head buried against his legs. He notices the light and gasps, looking up to see Cor and jerking again in alarm, quickly wiping at his eyes as he gets to his feet hastily.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, irritated as he tries to pass Cor and head back to the haven, but an iron grip finds his arm and pulls him back to where he’d been.

“Prompto, I’m sorry.”

The words hit the blond harder than he expects them too. Prompto jerks in his grip as his eyes search Cor’s in confusion, but he doesn’t look happy, he stays confused.

“You knew…” Prompto breathes in realization. “You knew what was going to happen…”

Cor can’t meet that gaze any longer, but he nods his reply. “…I thought that would be the last time you’d ever see me, I just…” He sighs heavily. “I thought I was doing the right thing. If I broke your heart, you’d go to Gladio and be with someone who could take care of you because I’d no longer be able to. Because I’d be dead…” He releases his hold on Prompto and finally lifts his eyes. “I don’t know where we go from here, any of us. I don’t know what will happen next. I still…” He purses his lips, feeling more emotional than he expects. “…It isn’t fair to you.”

Prompto glances down at his arm and then back up at Cor. “I think I get to decide what’s fair to me,” he replies, reaching up and tugging Cor into a kiss. He whimpers when their lips touch and presses himself against the other man, nearly sobbing in relief when those arms close around him and the Marshal kisses him back. He cries as he’s pressed back against the rock, tears in their kiss as Cor’s body leans into his and their hips grind with need.

Over the moon and back with Cor kissing and touching him, Prompto turns to face the rock and presses back into Cor, looking over his shoulder. He reaches into the Armiger and pulls out what they need, giving the Marshal a coy look that begs him not to ask why that stuff is in there, and hands it to the older man. He knows he doesn’t have to ask for this, he knows they both want and need this, so when he pushes his pants down and exposes himself, he’s sobbing again when those fingers find him.

“If we had the time, I’d break you,” Cor growls in his ear. “If things were different, I’d make you work for this.” He pushes his fingers inside, a little rough, and Prompto chokes out another sob as he pushes into them. “…But I love you, so… Tonight I’m going to give us what we need.”

Gasping out of his tears, Prompto looks over his shoulder at Cor as those fingers work to stretch him, panting at those words. “Oh fuck,” he whines, reaching up with a hand to tug Cor’s head to his own to kiss him deeply, tasting him and memorizing this all because he knows the other man is right. Things are going to change, and it might be a while before he sees him again once they part ways. “I fucking love you.”

Cor uses his free hand to hurriedly undo his pants and get himself free, but hands the condom back to Prompto and gives him a look that says they don’t need that tonight. He quickly lubes himself up after pulling his fingers free, handing that back to Prompto to put away and getting into position behind the blond. He slams inside with one desperate and muffled cry of wanton need, tears in his eyes as he thinks about everything in that one moment. How he could’ve died, how he could’ve lost Prompto, how fucking _good_ it feels to be inside of the youth.

Prompto _loves_ him, and he loves Prompto and with all that fueling him, Cor pulls back and slams in again, eager to give the young blond the best dicking of his life tonight. He wants this to be a night to remember and grips those hips for all they’re worth as Prompto braces himself against the rock and lets himself be fucked. The noises spilling from those bitten lips send Cor to another level, it’s only been a few days but it feels like an eternity since the last time they were together.

In a way, it has been.

And Prompto feels the same. His toes curl and his vision flashes with every firm thrust inside of him and he begs for more, begs to be _ruined_ as his fingers claw futilely at the rock and he listens to those growls and grunts breathed in his ear as his ass slaps against those hips over and over and over. He tilts his head and lets Cor kiss and bite at him, pushing hard into the rock to grind into those deep thrusts as the best makeup sex of his life continues.

Reaching back to cover one of those hands with his own, Prompto pushes further off the rock and leans back into Cor, wishing they had more time, wishing he could last longer so their sex wouldn’t have to end. He can already feel his release building and lets go of Cor’s hand to stroke himself in rhythm with those thrusts, relaxing a little to ragdoll into Cor’s pistoning hips with shaky moans of pleasure. He pulls his hand away, refusing to touch himself and come on his own, make this last as long as he can.

Prompto braces with both hands against the rock and bends a little more, a high-pitched gasp of surprise when Cor thrusts in deep and makes him see stars. Bending over the youth, Cor moves like a man possessed, sweat streaking his face as he feels his own release start to brew. No, he can’t, not yet, but his body is giving in and he pulls Prompto hard against him as he fights it off.

The jerk back is a direct hit on his prostate and Prompto cries out in relieved pleasure as he comes hard, painting the rock with his seed as he grabs his cock and milks the rest out of him, lost in the pleasure as his world spins and Cor keeps fucking him through his orgasm. But those hips stutter, submerged in the tight heat around his dick, and Cor chokes out a gasp of Prompto’s name as he fills the blond with his release for the first time.

It’s everything Prompto wanted it to be. He feels complete as Cor comes inside of him and he whimpers as those hips kept stuttering into him until Cor is spent. The Marshal sags against him, pressing him into the rock, and Prompto rolls his hips to get every last drop, even as it spills down his thigh. He wants to turn around and do it again, but it’s already been too long.

He mourns the loss of that dick inside of him when Cor pulls free and they clean up as best they can in the dark, but he pulls the older man against him and kisses him long and deep.

“I’ll wait for you,” he whispers as they break apart and in the dim light of the moon, Cor’s eyes find him. “There’s no one else for me, but you. Don’t you get it?”

“I do now,” Cor replies as he kisses Prompto again, runs his hands through those blond locks, and loves on the younger man for a few more minutes. “I do now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL?!?!?!?!? Hope you liked! Don't forgot to comment and leave kudos, it's super important! <3 I'd love to know what y'all thought.
> 
> Might start skipping time-wise after this, we're nearing the end. I don't plan to write out the whole game lol


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little more time with cor.  
noctis talks about nyx.  
then off to lestallum!

The return to the haven is a little awkward because Prompto is _certain_ the others know what happened, but he takes after Cor and walks alongside him with his head held high. He feels guilty, if anything, because something good happened to him while the others had to suffer, but he hopes more good comes of this.

To his surprise, Cor doesn’t shy away from showing affection after they reach the haven. Ignis is finishing up dinner as they approach and Cor takes his hand to help Prompto up to safety, but doesn’t let go once they’re both on their feet. It’s all Prompto can do to _not_ throw himself at the other man, the love and affection swelling in him to an almost sufferable degree.

Noctis seems a little sullen, but Gladio is giving Prompto side-eye with a smirk to match as Ignis serves the food and smiles softly, which makes Prompto blush. They all sit together around the fire and slowly, conversation starts to trickle out. It’s hard at first, because what else can they talk about besides the events that had darkened the past couple of days? But Cor manages. He seems genuinely interested in the dish Ignis had chosen to cook, and whether or not he’s bullshitting, not even Prompto can tell.

Ignis is more than happy to oblige, explaining where he’d found the recipe and what he’d done to make it his own, but where he’d found it prompted interest from Noctis, who seemed surprised to find out Ignis had been somewhere without him – which they’d all laughed at. Gladio announces it’s his favorite dish so far and gives Ignis a look that causes the Adviser to blush just _ever_ so slightly.

Cor suggests a couple of places they might try on their trip where Ignis could possibly find more ideas, much to Ignis’s delight, and they all quiet while they finish eating. Prompto helps Ignis clean up and plays some _King’s Knight_ with Noctis to try and cheer him up a bit, while Gladio and Ignis talk shop with Cor about plans for tomorrow’s visit to the next tomb.

Knowing they should be involved in that conversation is one thing, but Prompto wants to give Noctis a reprieve for just a little bit, to remind him that he’s still friends with a goofball like Prompto and that being a king will come to him in time. He’s relieved when he has Noctis laughing just a _little_ by the time they’re ready to go to bed, but Prompto lingers outside the tent as Cor stares up at the night sky.

“Everything okay?” he asks as he approaches the Marshal, taking his hand and staring up as well.

Cor glances down at Prompto and nods his reply, gaze returning to the sky. “It’s been a hard couple of days,” he admits quietly. “I suspect it will only get harder.”

His words draw a frown from the young blond as Prompto tries to think of what to say, but he feels his youth is a disservice to him at that moment. He has the brave naivety of youth, which tells him they’ll make it through this, but he suspects Cor might know something he doesn’t, something only the wisdom of age brings a person. He squeezes the Marshal’s hand and leans against him, opting to stay quiet if only to spend a few moments of silence with the older man.

“You know I’ll be waiting for you, right?” Prompto finally says, tilting his head up at Cor again. “I don’t care how long it takes for things to be right again, I’ll be waiting for you.”

Cor glances down, features softening at those words before he clenches his eyes shut and looks away. “I can’t help thinking that it’s unfair to you,” he says, repeating words from earlier. “You’re young and have so much time to experience other people and find new things. Why bet it all on me?”

“Because you believed in me,” Prompto says with a smile, moving to step in front of Cor and slipping his arm around his broad frame, “and you made me laugh, and you make me happy, and you…” He sighs, frustrated that he can’t put it into any better words. “Because I love you, that’s why. You can break my heart into a thousand pieces again, if you want, but it won’t change how I feel. I don’t know how else to say it.”

Cor stares down into those beautiful violet eyes for several long, silent minutes, then leans down and kisses Prompto softly before the blond lets him in and it deepens. They kiss for several more minutes, until Prompto breaks for air and leans against Cor in a tight hug that the older man returns, resting his cheek against those blond tufts of hair.

“I don’t know where things will take me,” he admits, “but I’ll come back for you. I will find you, so if you’re going to wait… I’ll do my best to come back.”

* * *

Space is limited in the tent so Cor opts to sleep outside under the stars, but not without Prompto apparently. He wants all the time they have left together, and besides, they’ve never actually _slept_ together. It turns out, regardless of the hard stone beneath him, it’s one of the best things ever. Cor’s arms latch around him and hold him all night, and Prompto thanks the Six he’d gotten the chance to do this at least once before it may have possibly been too late.

Dawn wakes them, but as much as Prompto tries to sleep in, Cor’s an obnoxiously early riser – just like Ignis, apparently, who emerges from the tent to start coffee and breakfast. Prompto scowls and spider crawls into the tent, happy to burrow between Gladio and Noctis for warmth in the chilly morning air.

After breakfast is finished, Ignis wakes them all and they sit around a fire again to start the day while they eat and wake up. Once they’re done, they proceed to get dressed and clean up the campsite before trekking to the next tomb for Noctis’s next weapon. Prompto lingers near Cor, but tries not to overdo it, he just finds that he wants to be close by for as long as he can before they eventually part ways. Cor lets him linger too, which makes things better, and despite the events that had brought them together again, the atmosphere among them seems to be getting better.

Having Cor with them changes things in a lot of ways – he cuts through the monsters they encounter like they’re nothing. Even Ignis and Gladio have to stop and admire what they still have to learn from the older man, and it’s like a dream come true for Prompto, to fight at the Marshal’s side. Even after they draw near the tomb, they encounter some Magitek soldiers and clear them with little trouble. Prompto and the others know that once Cor leaves them, things will increase in difficulty, but they’re all starting to feel up to the challenge now.

And then the moment comes, when Cor leaves them for the first time. Will it be the last? Who can say? Prompto doesn’t make a scene, just asks for one embrace before they part ways with whispered promises that they will see each other again, and continues on to the second tomb with Noctis and the others. He feels empowered now, ready to practice everything he’s learned, protect his king, fight alongside his friends, and he can tell Noctis and the others are feeling the same. They clear the enemies with little trouble, even the crazy spider monster waiting for them at the end of their trip. Gladio takes point and together, they bring the creature down.

Afterward, they enter the tomb and Noctis gains his second Royal Arm – a badass axe that Prompto is a little envious of. He’s excited to see what the other weapons look like! They don’t linger long, and leave the tomb to hurry back to the entrance, when Noctis gets a call from Cor. Apparently, the Imperials are setting up bases, increasing the difficulty for them going forward to get around and get to the tombs, including a blockade.

One they don’t have a choice in taking care of if they want to be able to continue. Noctis will go with Cor, which disappoints Prompto, but he puts his own needs and wants aside this time. He can do this without Cor, this isn’t about him – plus, he’d gotten what he’d wanted. Now, it’s time to perform his duties to the fullest.

It’s time for him to show everyone what he’s made of.

* * *

After a harrowing fight with a soldier named Loqi, they successfully destroy the Imperial blockade and officially part ways with Cor once again. But Prompto's okay with it now. He can text Cor, he can call Cor, even though he has to rein it in and not abuse the privelege since Cor will be in just as much danger as they're likely to be. They’re off to Lestallum now, after getting a message from Iris, who Gladio is anxious to see since Insomnia's fall. But as they pile into the _Regalia_ and drive off, Prompto notices Noctis seems a little glum again and frowns back from the front seat. He wonders if maybe his best friend is just feeling sad about what happened again, which is understandable, but something tells Prompto it’s not.

They don’t make it to Lestallum on the first day. In fact, they catch wind of some hunts on their way and, knowing Iris is in safe hands, Gladio agrees to detour, which takes them close to the infamous Wiz’s Chocobo Post. Prompto promptly loses his shit, and they agree to make a pit stop there for a change of scenery. Plus, it gives Prompto the chance to spend some time with Noctis and find out what’s wrong.

Arriving close to dusk, Prompto all but flies out of the car to go see the giant birds, taking picture after picture and hearing the others laugh as they catch up. Even Noctis has a smile on his face as they tour the area, get a bite to eat, and pay for the caravan to stay in. Prompto strays back to the birds every chance he gets, eventually dragging Noctis along under the guise of wanting to feed them together.

Once they’re out of earshot of the others, however, Prompto pounces – in a manner of speaking. “Everything okay, dude?”

Noctis looks over in confusion, hand held out for a chocobo to feed from as he makes a face. “Yeah, why’re you asking?”

“Come on, Noct,” Prompto replies as a tall yellow chocobo comes over to peck at Noctis’s hand. “I saw you in the car. Are you…is it just everything that happened? Or…did I miss something?”

Growing quiet as the chocobo tickles his hand, Noctis sighs. “…Cor…he, um, he told me something before we left.”

Prompto feels a pit in his stomach, but he pushes it away. Cor wouldn’t tell Noctis something about Prompto after the talk they’d had – so he knows this isn’t about him, but he can’t help the kneejerk reaction. “Oh?” he asks softly. “…Is… Do you want to talk about it?”

The shadows from the lights behind them curtain Noct’s face as he turns it away from Prompto slightly, but then his shoulders sag in defeat and he looks back at his friend. “Nyx,” he says simply, tears in his eyes though his voice stays steady. “He…he didn’t make it.”

It’s like a punch in the gut, even to Prompto. He’d liked Nyx, and he’d hoped that maybe the Kingsglaive had made it out, but knowing that he hadn’t – Prompto doesn’t know why this is hitting him harder than the other news he’d heard, but it is. Maybe it’s because he relates. He’d thought he’d lost Cor, and now Noctis is facing that same loss, but for certain this time.

Putting an arm around the prince, Prompto squeezes his shoulders as the chocobo _kweh_s softly, like it’s aware the mood has saddened, and canters off. “I’m sorry, man,” he says softly. It’s all he can say. Noctis has to feel lost right now – he’s lost almost everyone but the people at his side.

“I think I loved him,” Noctis admits, to Prompto’s surprise, and the blond pulls back to look at his friend as their gazes meet. “I…It was just so weird, though, you know? Right up until the end, I didn’t know how I felt, and then in like, two days, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Ignis had him take me home a few nights ago, and then…we did it.”

Prompto’s eyes widen before he grins and even Noctis has to shove him lightly. “Shut up, Prom,” he says with a small smile, gaze turning distant as they both turn to watch the chocobos. “…I can’t imagine anyone else now,” he adds a moment later. “Even though it was my first time, it was like he was the most gentle boyfriend I ever had. It was perfect.” He crosses his arms on the fence and drops his chin onto them. “And…he’s gone.”

Clapping a hand onto Noctis’s back softly, Prompto stays at his friend’s side. “He definitely cared about you, my dude,” he replies softly. “I wish…I wish there were something I could do.”

Noctis turns to look up at Prompto, chin still on his arms as he gives his best friend a small smile. “You _are_ doing something,” he assures, watching as the blond makes a triumphant fist.

“Shall we play some _King’s Knight_, then?”

“You’re on.”

* * *

The following day, they make quick work of the hunt, and although Noctis is still a little down, he’s in better spirits than before. Once again, they pile into the _Regalia_, and continue on to Lestallum. The scenery changes and broadens to fantastic views that give Prompto a photographer’s orgasm as he snaps picture after picture, but his demeanor cheers everyone up a bit as they stop for a few pictures with all of them, for souvenirs.

When they finally reach Lestallum, it proves to be a bustling city full of life and things to do. Prompto isn’t sure what he’d expected, but it hadn’t been this! They take a quick look around, meet a few people, before they continue onto the hotel to find Iris. A huge weight almost visibly comes off Gladio when he finds his sister in one piece, while meeting up with Talcott and Jared as well.

While they settle in their rooms, Noctis gets dragged off by Iris while Prompto and the others stay behind. Prompto almost wishes he could’ve gone with Noctis because lingering around while the topic of conversation grows serious, isn’t what he had in mind. So he takes a nap and wakes when Noctis and Iris return, only to learn of a third tomb near to Lestallum, where they can find another Royal Arm.

Prompto perks up at the news as Ignis takes charge and pulls out a map to determine the best course to get them to their destination. Noctis looks a little tired, but ready to get on with this and knock another tomb off their list, before it’s decided they’ll leave in the morning.

With it now being dinnertime, Talcott gets excited about a nearby restaurant they should try, but Ignis and Gladio opt to remain behind. They decide it’s safe enough for the others to go on their own, it’s literally right around the corner, and honestly, they hadn’t had a moment alone since Galdin Quay. They could’ve snuck away at the chocobo ranch, but it was too open and dark there to really feel safe leaving Noctis and Prompto alone out there.

Speaking of, Noctis grins and makes kissy faces as he leaves, which earns him a pillow thrown by Gladio, but as soon as that door shut, Ignis is on top of the big guy, surprising him at the change in demeanor the _instant_ that door had closed.

There’s hungry kissing, clothes tugged off, and Ignis rides Gladio hard enough to leave a dent in the wall from the bed. They have to hope that goes unnoticed by the staff later as they kiss and come down from their post-orgasmic high as they shift to get under the covers just in case Prompto and Noctis come back early.

As Gladio looms over Ignis and kisses him deep, while slender fingers tangle in his hair and legs twine together, Ignis looks up into those amber eyes and brings down a hand to touch one stubbed cheek. “I’m glad she’s alright, Gladio,” he says softly. “She’s as strong as you are, you know. She’s going to be fine.”

Gladio’s gaze softens at those words and he kisses Ignis again before he pulls back and touches their foreheads together. “It almost feels wrong,” he admits, earning a confused look from Ignis before he clarifies. “Prom got Cor back, I got Iris back and Talcott and Jared if you wanna count them, plus I have you.” He smiles a little before it fades. “…But Noct, he…” He trails off. “It feels wrong that he’s lost so much and he just has to keep on truckin’ on his own.”

“He has _us_, Gladio,” Ignis reminds in reply, stroking the bigger man’s cheek with his thumb. “It feels unfair, but he’s not alone, and he will remember that in time. He won’t lose us.”

Expression turning determined, Gladio nods against Ignis and kisses him again before they reluctantly get up to shower and dress before they head down to the restaurant to find the others already on their way back.

“We brought you some!” Noctis exclaims as he and Talcott hold up bags and Ignis glances at Gladio to find him smiling.

“I told you,” Ignis says softly as they return to their room with the others in tow.

Ignis and Gladio eat while Prompto and Noctis teach Iris a card game, which eventually Talcott joins in on while Jared patiently sits to the side and watch. Gladio looks up from his food and then over to Ignis, happy that the other man is so much more levelheaded than he is.

Things are tough, they’ll probably get tougher, but none of them are alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I need to shut up about how self-conscious I am about skipping around the story so much, but UGH, iT'S hARD YOU guys! <3 I'm trying though, so as always, please bear with me. I'm sorry about the slow updates! I've been busy with work, not sleeping, cross-stitch commissions, video games, and my birthday, so THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CRAY-CRAY. <3 As always, please don't forget to leave comments and kudos - I know AO3's e-mail notifications hae been weird about letting y'all know about updates, but my past few updates (for all my fics) have done really poorly in comparison to the chapters before, so...it's really important that I hear from you, okay? <333
> 
> Don't forget, you can follow me on Tumblr and Twitter so you don't miss an update!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gladio gets to see cor,  
prompto's a little jealous.  
and everyone tries to cheer prompto up.

Several days pass, and things are anything but easy. From good moments like successful tomb missions, to terrible things like losing Jared to Imperial assholes, to awe-inspiring moments of meeting Titan and Ramuh, to terrifying instances of infiltrating a Niflheim base to get the _Regalia_ back. At least Prompto gets to see the Chocobos again, but he’s worn out and losing drive. He hasn’t heard from Cor in a while, and tries not to think about it too much given the circumstances, but when Gladio ditches them for personal business, and comes back talking about Cor, Prompto’s heart sinks a bit.

Apparently, Prompto hadn’t even come up in conversation. Sure, they settle around the campfire and talk like it’s no big deal – the Cor thing, that is – of course Prompto’s relieved Gladio’s safe and managed to accomplish something so fantastic, but he can’t help losing sight of the bigger picture in lieu of missing Cor.

And he hates himself for it.

He loves learning more about the man, but he hates that he had to hear it from someone else. He thought that patching things up with the Marshal would mean things would even out – he could focus on his duties to Noctis, protect his king, but…he’s distracted and anxious and he worries about what kind of person that makes him.

Not to mention, things hadn’t exactly been easy for them in Gladio’s absence – with their detour to the Vesperpool for Mythril, their crazy voyage through the ruins with Aranea, who’s actually kind of cool it turns out, but not having Gladio there had been an experience. But now, they’re on their way back to Cape Caem, and things seem to be coming to a head across the board for the four of them.

As they pack up for the night and Noctis heads into the tent first, followed by an attentive Ignis, Prompto thinks he’s glad Noctis has had distractions and fun so he wouldn’t have to think about Nyx anymore, but he wonders if the trade-off has been worth it. Astrals and car-rescuing weren’t exactly what he’d had in mind for his buddy. He sighs to himself and moves to follow, but a big hand grips his shoulder and turns him around.

Blinking up at Gladio, Prompto laughs awkwardly and tilts his head. “What’s up, big guy?”

“C’mere,” Gladio says, motioning with one finger as he walks to the edge of the haven, away from the dying campfire.

Prompto follows, confused, as Gladio sits down, joining him. “Gladio?”

“You’re as transparent as a pane of glass, you know that, right?”

Expression turning into a pout, Prompto looks away and says nothing.

“We were a little distracted by the task at hand, Prom,” Gladio explains, “you know the Marshal misses you.”

“No, I don’t,” Prompto protests, feeling like a child for doing so, but he can’t help it. “I know with everything going on that I won’t hear from him every day, but…it doesn’t feel like he misses me at _all_. I don’t know how to…be upset about this without whining about it like some stupid lovesick puppy.” He lowers his head. “I’m struggling here. I need to concentrate on my job of being there for Noct, but I can’t stop thinking about Cor.”

Gladio’s silent for several minutes before he turns to glance at Prompto. “I need you to trust me.”

Not expecting that, Prompto blinks in confusion and tilts his head. “…What?”

“Trust me, okay?” Gladio repeats. “I know he misses you and…it’s gonna be okay.”

Prompto works his lips for a moment, pursing them before he blows out a breath of air and sighs. “Alright, I guess I don’t have a choice.” He shrugs and clasps his hands together. “Shouldn’t you be with Ignis right now? He seems over the moon about your success. You guys need your own tent.”

Gladio rumbles out a laugh and glances over his shoulder. “Yeah, maybe,” he murmurs with a smile.

They get up together and head back to the tent before Prompto pauses and grabs Gladio’s hand. “Gladio?” He waits for the other man to look at him before he smiles up at him. “I’m…glad everything worked out for you, and I’m glad you got to see him.”

Gladio smiles down at Prompto before he bends down and presses a kiss to Prompto’s temple. It’s a soft, gentle action that takes the blond by surprise and he stares up at Gladio when the other man pulls away. It seems more happened than he realizes in those ruins, Gladio almost seems like a different person, and that makes Prompto happy. Not that Gladio needed to change, but that he seems to have grown as a person – someone even better than before.

And Prompto hopes that Cor had a hand in that. He just wishes he could’ve had a moment like that too, but then he pauses at the thought. He…_has_ had that moment. He’s in the Crownsguard, he learned from the best, he’d grown as a person too. He doesn’t know if he’d be here without Cor’s guidance, wisdom, and…_other_ things.

Smiling, Prompto nods to himself. He’ll trust Gladio’s cryptic words, and he’ll keep protecting his prince and future king. Cor may not be a talkative person right now, but Prompto knows the man still believes in him, and he refuses to let him, or anybody else, down.

* * *

They’re about a day’s drive away from returning to Cape Caem when they run out of daylight and have to stop. They find a haven near a fishing pond, and Prompto accompanies the prince out there so he can stress-fish. Besides, Gladio and Ignis deserve some alone time just as much as Noctis needs to fish. Camera in hand, Prompto snaps a few pictures of the scenery and his friend as Noctis readies his line and casts it.

“You okay?”

Prompto looks up at the question, confused. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?” Noctis repeats, glancing over at the blond as he waits for a fish to bite. “You’ve seemed kinda off since Gladio came back.”

“Ugh,” Prompto scoffs, looking away and lowering his camera, earning a raised brow from the prince.

“Wanna try that again?”

Prompto frowns and looks back at Noctis. “I…I’m kind of mad that I didn’t hide it that good, dude,” he explains. “…I thought maybe talking with Gladio got it off my chest, but I guess it didn’t…”

“Got what off your chest?” Noctis asks before the line snags and he quickly begins reeling it in, but Prompto doesn’t answer right away, feeling like he’s failed just by talking about it with the prince.

“I just…miss Cor,” the blond mutters, snapping a quick picture of the fish that Noctis pulls out of the water. It’s pretty big and they’re both certain it’ll make for a good dinner later.

“That’s fair,” Noctis assures as he puts the fish away and recasts his line. “Why’re you mad about me noticing?”

“Because I feel like…the bigger picture is you,” Prompto protests in reply, looking out over the water. “I feel like I should be focused on protecting you, and doing my job as a Crownsguard. Reclaiming our home, but… I can’t stop thinking about _Cor_. I feel like I’m failing in my duties as a result.”

To his surprise, Noctis laughs, and it’s a sound that he feels like he hasn’t heard in forever. Even though Noctis had been joking around the other night with Gladio after the Shield had told his story about where he’d been, it still worried Prompto about the prince’s state of mind, and how he was feeling. Hearing his laughter…makes Prompto feel more at ease.

“Dude, you picked off like…three of those Voretooths the other day,” Noctis reminds. “When I had my back to them, remember?” Prompto nods meekly. “Seems like you’re doing just fine protecting me.” His line snags again and he starts reeling in once more. “And you don’t have to keep letting me win in _King’s Knight_ by the way. I know you’re doing that to cheer me up, but you don’t have to.”

Prompto flushes deep and toes the dock awkwardly. “No, I’m not,” he lies, looking away, earning another laugh from the prince, “but dude, I’m making you comfort _me_, and this… this isn’t about me! I feel like I can’t stop making it about me.”

Pulling a different fish free, Noctis holds it up while Prompto takes a picture before he puts it away and hesitates to re-spool his rod. “Prom, we’re…all doing the best we can,” he says seriously after a moment. “I personally don’t see anything wrong with you missing Cor. It hasn’t stopped you from being my best friend, or from doing your job. I don’t understand why you think it makes you selfish to be thinking about him all the time, or to be worried about him.” He shrugs and looks up at his friend. “It hasn’t gotten in the way of you being worried about me, or about Gladio, or about Ignis even. You care about everyone, and we all care about you. You’re being about as normal as you can be in the most…abnormal situations. What about any of this is normal?” He gestures around them and finishes re-spooling his line, recasting it. “…I love you, man. I’m glad you’re here, and I’m glad you’re still Prompto.”

Prompto’s chest swells at those words and without thinking, he throws his arms around the prince and holds him tightly. “Love you too,” he whispers gratefully. “You’re gonna be a great king.”

* * *

When they finally reach Cape Caem, they’re all exhausted and ready for a nap, even if they have work to do. A lot of work’s been done in their absence to spruce up the place and make it a type of headquarters, and even Ignis is surprised, even pleased when he sees the state of the kitchen. Prompto’s the last of the group to reach the house, pausing to take a few pictures of the others while they aren’t looking – candid is the best! – when someone comes out of the house and stops him from going in.

Of all the people he expected to be in his way, Prompto doesn’t expect to look up and see Cor. His heart catches in his throat and he nearly drops his camera as he launches himself up at the other man. He doesn’t know why he’s overwhelmed with emotion, but he hasn’t heard from the other man in so long, and after having to deal with crazy monsters, dark ruins, Gladio’s story, and just…separation in general, he can’t take it anymore.

He probably should’ve gauged what kind of mood Cor was in first, before just throwing himself at the other man, what if Cor had decided things were over for them or something? And that’s why he hadn’t been texting or calling Prompto?

Thinking this, Prompto pulls back and tries to wipe at his eyes subtly, missing the softening in Cor’s expression when he does so. “I was worried about you,” he tries to explain. “…I hadn’t heard from you, I just…”

Cor responds by taking his hand and leading him up to the lighthouse, away from the others where they can have their privacy with a nice view to boot. Once they’re out of sight and earshot of anyone else, Cor pulls Prompto back into his arms and holds the blond tightly. “I’m sorry,” he says softly, “it’s been more chaotic than I anticipated, and then there was Gladio, and then there was…” He trails off and shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter, I’m sorry.”

“No, no…” Prompto protests with a sniffle. “I’m sorry, I just… I try to keep reminding myself that things are bigger than what I’m feeling, but… I can’t help it.” He shakes his head against Cor, but the tears end up spilling and he chokes out a sob against the older man before he can stop it. Those arms tighten around him and a hand passes through his hair.

“It’s alright,” he hears Cor say as he sits back against the lighthouse and brings Prompto with him. “You’re only human, kid. It’s okay to be scared and worried and confused.”

Cor waits for those violet eyes to look up at him and he wipes tears off flushed cheeks with his thumb. “You need to stop looking at where you’ve failed and recognize where you’ve succeeded. You’re surviving, you’re coping, and you’re doing a damn good job of it. All that energy you’re wasting on feeling sorry for yourself and worrying over things beyond your control, could be directed at a better use of your time. Better ways to protect your king, better ways to protect yourself. There’s always a silver lining, Prompto, always a way to see the good in the bad.”

A small smile forms on Prompto’s lips and he picks himself up, wiping at his eyes again. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Cor corrects, watching Prompto. “You’re doing better than you’re giving yourself credit for. It’s okay to have these moments, but you can’t let them consume you.”

Prompto smiles a little more and he leans in to press his lips against Cor’s, a soft whimper of desperation escaping his lips with the action. “Why can’t I carry you in my pocket to remind me of things like this all the time?”

Cor doesn’t answer, just shakes his head as he looks up at the blond. “I’m sorry you’ve been hurting,” he replies quietly. “That I couldn’t be there. I…I tried to warn you about this, Prompto, I don’t want to keep letting you down.”

Considering those words, Prompto shakes his head. “No, no, this isn’t your fault,” he says. “I…I was getting lost in the chaos, I…I can’t depend on you all the time, and that was my mistake. I think everything going on just has me so frazzled and confused and scared, I just…wanted someone to make it all go away.” He crawls into Cor’s lap and rests against him, needing the closeness. “If this were a perfect world, I’d depend on you to help me through the hard times, but this isn’t…” He trails off. “…We all have our parts to play here, and I have to learn to be strong without you. Nothing that’s happened is your fault, I’m not blaming you. I can do better.”

Cor holds Prompto against him, needing the touch himself and letting out a breath of relief that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding all these weeks. He feels guilty that he hasn’t been able to be there for Prompto, and the warmth of the youth’s body, the reminder that Prompto _wants_ him, and the opportunity, seize Cor in that instant. He’ll make it up to the younger man right now, he decides. He’ll do better, too.

Bringing Prompto into a soft kiss, Cor cups that freckled face in both hands and sucks gently at those lips until they let him in. He tastes all of Prompto in that moment, tongue dragging over that bitten bottom lip before swooping back in to claim the younger man’s mouth for his own. A hand lowers to pull the blond’s sleeveless shirt away from his collarbone as he kisses his way down there, nibbling and kissing and loving every inch of sun-kissed skin.

Prompto’s head lolls back and before he realizes it, their hips are moving together, slowly, gently undulating for the friction and sensation that radiates throughout their bodies. He pants softly under Cor’s lips as he grips at the man’s short hair and breathes out a whimper, but the Marshal keeps things slow and soft, even as he starts tugging at their belts. Prompto helps by getting the lube out, but Cor’s hand slips inside of his tight jeans, taking him by surprise as he drops the lube and moans at the searing hand wrapped around his cock.

But Cor refuses to get hot and heavy, he languidly strokes Prompto as the flesh hardens in his hand, kissing the youth lovingly, deeply, passionately. Prompto’s hips jerk up into those touches as his hands fumble to return the favor, but Cor lets go of his dick and bats those hands away. “Let me love you,” he whispers, something about those words bringing tears to Prompto’s eyes. He lifts himself up on his knees so Cor can tug his pants down, then watches the Marshal undo his own pants and pull his aching length free, and Prompto wants nothing more than to take that in his mouth and show Cor just how much he loves _him_, but only watches as the Marshal grabs the lube and readies himself.

Cor brings Prompto back into a loving kiss as his slick fingers slip up into the younger man. He’s gentle and slow, thrusting with his fingers in a slow, sensual way that has Prompto begging for more, and when those fingers are finally replaced with that cock, the noise of relief that escapes Prompto’s lips has Cor’s ears turning red. Prompto seats himself slowly down onto Cor until their hips kiss and he pants into the older man’s neck with need and relief and pleasure.

The sun sets behind them as they start moving together, hips rocking slow and deep, giving them everything they need while keeping the mood soft. Prompto sits up straight and touches their foreheads, eyes slipping closed as he relishes in the sensations coursing through him, while their share breaths and the sun bathes them in its golden light. He feels hands grip his hips, guiding him into the perfect position so that each rocking of their hips has Cor going as deep as possible, and he arches against the older man with a breathy sigh of ecstasy.

Being filled like this never gets old, and he doesn’t ever want to forget it. Covering one of Cor’s hands with his own, Prompto braces himself with the other on the Marshal’s shoulder and thinks that this is the first time they’ve made love rather than just straight up fucked. At least, that’s what it feels like to him, and when he looks into those deep blue eyes, he knows he’s right. Cor isn’t staring at him with lust or carnal desire, he’s looking at Prompto like he’s all that matters in the world.

They share another deep, loving kiss as their hips move faster, as Cor thrusts deeper, as Prompto lifts himself up and sits down harder for _more_. The tension is building, his muscles are burning, his shirt is sticking to his back as the sun lights them up and they work up a sweat. He doesn’t even need to touch himself, he can feel his orgasm building and rolling towards the finish line and a few more perfect thrusts – no, he doesn’t want this to be over – he comes hard, unable to hold it back as he arches against Cor, shaking with his release as he clenches around the older man’s cock moving inside of him.

Cor growls into his neck and holds Prompto tight, chasing after his orgasm now in that tight vice that is Prompto’s ass. He rocks faster, panting and murmuring sweet nothings until he comes with a gasp, pushing up deep into Prompto as he fills the youth with his seed. There are choked breaths and sighs and whimpers before they sag back against the lighthouse, locked in a sweet kiss as they breathe words of affection to each other.

The dirty side of Prompto loves and hates when Cor pulls out and he leaks down his thigh, but he just can’t help loving everything about what they do together, and how it feels as they clean themselves up and share shy gazes.

Prompto takes this time with the Marshal for what it is. This isn’t like a few weeks ago when Cor showed up to escort them to the tombs and told him the truth about the situation. This time, they both know Altissia is a turning point in this journey. This time, they might not see each other for a long time, and if that’s the case, they need to know where they stand. He has to be ready for the possibility of not seeing Cor for a long time, and although it scares him, he knows they love each other. There _is_ no one else. He knows that he can handle this, that he had his weak moment and it's passed now. Prompto is ready to face the future and seize every opportunity for what it is - he knows Cor will be waiting for him, even if they don't get to see or talk to each other.

“I love you,” he whispers after they get to their feet, the sun’s last rays stretching over the horizon as the light fades behind them.

Cor, understanding the meaning behind those words, nods. “I love you, too.”

Hand in hand, they head back down to the main house, the smell of Ignis’s cooking reaching their noses. Tomorrow marks the start of a new part of their journey, and he hopes that they’ll both be able to make it through, unscathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay on this chapter; i was really struggling with the time jumps and what felt right. thanks to my friend julius for helping bounce some ideas around b/c I was having a lot of trouble on my own :( be prepared for the ten year time jump in the next chapter.. because there isn't much more for me to write in this part of the timeline without dragging things out more than i already have. hopefully you guys liked this chapter and it doesn't feel too disjoined, thank you <3 and don't forget to leave kudos and comments!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ten years pass.  
they return to insomnia.  
cor and prompto are reunited.

Ten years.

It’s not easy to summarize everything that has happened to them in that decade of time. Even at the very beginning, so much changed so fast. Luna’s dead. Ignis has been blinded. Things turned upside-down in Altissia, and ended with Noctis vanishing into the crystal to sleep, and ten years later, the world is engulfed in darkness with no end in sight, and to Prompto, Cor becomes an afterthought.

It had been hard enough directly after the events at Altissia, for the four of them to continue on their journey with their spirits broken, at each other’s throats. They hadn’t finished grieving over Insomnia, and now this? Gladio seemed more upset over Ignis’s blindness than Ignis, torn between his fury at Noctis and a broken-heart for his lover. Prompto found himself tending to Ignis more than Gladio most days, and it had only seemed to make things worse.

Ignis is the one who seems to fix them, however briefly. It’s Ignis who proves his worth to stand beside his king, even without his sight. And weeks pass before Prompto thinks of Cor for the first time since Cape Caem. He sags on the edge of the haven they’re taking refuge on – it’s too unsafe to stay at hotels anymore – and looks at his phone.

It’s not that he doesn’t miss Cor anymore, or doesn’t love him – of _course_ he does, but he just…can’t care any more than he is at that moment. All of his feelings have been spent on Ignis and Noctis and Gladio, with good reason. They’re broken and suffering and a man hundreds of miles away can’t fix that – and Prompto can’t bring himself to send a message to say anything

Though he’s sure Cor already knows what happened. They both know, without even speaking a word to each other, that there is nothing Cor can do for Prompto or for the others.

But the shitshow doesn’t stop. When they decide they must go to Niflheim, Prompto would never have expected the way events unfolded on the train. He’d known it wasn’t Noctis’s fault – Ardyn had tricked him – when he’d been shoved to his death by his best friend.

Yet, he’d survived.

Prompto doesn’t know how he made it through the freezing wilderness alive, or how he didn’t fall to his despair in Zegnautus Keep upon learning the truth and dealing with Verstael, or how Aranea would be there to aid him of all people. But when he finds himself recaptured and chained, destined to waste away unless his friends somehow find him as the bait he’s now become, Prompto struggles to hold himself together – he loves his friends and trusts in them, but his heart breaks for Cor.

Who couldn’t possibly know of Prompto’s fate. Who would have to be told of Prompto’s death later, should Noctis and the others not come, or come too late.

Wouldn’t it be nice if Cor came to save him? Prompto knows it’s basically impossible, but he _can’t_ break his promise to the older man – he’d promised to wait, promised to be there when this was all over, but Prompto never thought he’d die before that could happen.

A tear falls and Prompto hates it – mainly because he doesn’t want Ardyn to see – he doesn’t need any to give the crazed man any ammo to play more mind games torturing Prompto, mocking him. How many times had Prompto endured the sight of Noctis and the others finally coming to his rescue, only to have it be a dream, an illusion.

He’s grateful Ardyn doesn’t know about Cor – Prompto doesn’t know if he could handle it if that secret were out in the open. The idea of that despicable man making a mockery of Prompto’s relationship with the marshal seethes the blond to the core, more than the trickery Ardyn had already displayed using Noctis and the others.

Because of _course_ Ardyn would use them to torture Prompto. It’s simple and obvious. But any deeper deceptions, and Prompto would probably break inside. His heart can’t take anymore, so he holds on to that hope – that Noctis will find him, that Cor will still be there.

His growing despair, however, falls deeper than his longing to see Cor, or the fear of never being found by his friends. Prompto’s world had been shattered when he’d found out the truth of his identify – the truth behind the barcode tattoo on his wrist – the truth of where he truly came from.

How can he face _any_ of his friends again? Noctis is one thing because his best friend is technically now his enemy – but how will Ignis and Gladio take it? Will they accept him or denounce him? Are they close enough for that to be something they can overlook? What if they do, but Noctis doesn’t? What if they decide he’s not worth saving.

What if they kill him?

Or, if not and if Prompto _does_ ever see Cor again, will he ever see warmth in those blue eyes? Or is he doomed to a cold, distant dismissive stare because of what Prompto truly is? Doomed to the end of a love he’d never experienced before or ever would again.

When footsteps bring Prompto back to consciousness, he’s weak and tired, and he’s in _no_ mood for any more dreams or games from Ardyn. So when he’s touched and jostled and freed, he doesn’t really care until it finally hits him that something is different. He looks up into the eyes of his best friend and sees the truth in them, and Prompto weeps with joy until his mind settles and he is forced to reveal his secret.

Without blinking an eye, he’s welcomed back into their arms with reassurances that they couldn’t care less where he’s from – they know who he is, they know his heart, and they don’t care where he’s from. They even joke with him.

He’s Prompto. And they love him.

But the happy reunion doesn’t last long. They reach the crystal, Noctis disappears inside, Ardyn reveals his true identity, and none of them foresaw the decade of darkness in their future, or the hopes of Noctis ever returning having disappeared into the crystal with him.

* * *

Weeks turned into months, turned into years.

Initially, Prompto and the others return to Lucis, and although the blond finds himself anxious to locate Cor, the man is unreachable. He hears through word of mouth that the Marshal is back in Insomnia, reuniting the Crownsguard in preparation for Noctis’s return. The news gives Prompto hope and a warmth he tries to cling to, and although Cor isn’t responding to messages, Prompto sends them anyway, promising he’ll wait.

Promising he’s still there.

In the meantime, Ignis trains day and night to grow accustomed to his blindness. With the drama amongst the group settled and Noctis in the crystal, Gladio has accepted the reality of things and is at Ignis’s side, helping him, loving him, supporting him. It’s all Prompto can do to help as well, but without Noctis there, Prompto can’t help but feel…left out.

An awkward third wheel.

He knows Gladio and Ignis, they’re friends, sure, but Prompto was the last one to join their group – Gladio and Ignis were friends with Noctis before Prompto… It’s not their fault – things just aren’t the same. It’s not like they aren’t friends anymore, but priorities have changed, lives have changed, the _world_ is changing until the sun finally disappears and they are plunged into darkness and daemonic chaos.

So, eventually, they part ways – something that tears Prompto apart, but he comes to a realization one night after Gladio and Ignis finish training and _somehow_ manage to find it in them to fuck in the caravan they’ve taken shelter in.

It hurts Prompto to be around that – and although he tries not to let it get to him, he can’t stop thinking about Cor, he’ll never stop – he made a promise – but he wonders if they’ll ever see each other again. It doesn’t help that he’s horny as shit and his hand just isn’t cutting it anymore.

The separation isn’t for good, it’s just…for now. Returning to Hammerhead more often than Lestallum, Prompto spends the next few years training and fighting daemons on his own – and to his relief and pride, he succeeds. Occasionally he runs into Gladio and Ignis, and the reunions are great, Gladio clearly misses him, but the big guy has Ignis now, and something keeps them from asking each other to stay, to get back together like old times.

In the end, Prompto’s lonely, and sad, and…horny. Some days, it’s harder to ignore than others. Some days, he’s tempted to pull up his phone and text Cor to let him know he’s about to fuck Cindy and maybe that’ll garner a reply from the older man, but Prompto knows better. He’s not that petty, he’s not that desperate, but he misses the man he loves and he isn’t sure of anything anymore. He just wants answers, he wants something to ground him back to the earth again, to give him hope, to give him love.

So, when the day comes of Noctis’s actual return – it’s bittersweet. Of course, they’re all happy to see him, happy to be reunited, but knowing what they face is daunting and heartbreaking. They set off for Insomnia, but their last dinner, as it were, nearly breaks them. Prompto doesn’t want to lose his friend after _just_ getting him back, but what can they do? What else is there? Noctis seems to have accepted his fate, but Prompto doesn’t want to.

He doesn’t make a fuss, though. He doesn’t want to make things harder for his best friend, even if the idea of losing him again tears him up inside.

Prompto’s proud, however, to finally wear his Crownsguard uniform and once again, earn his place at his king’s side. He’s proven himself multiple times before, but now is the final time, the time that matters more than any other before.

They’re ready to save the world and take it back from Ardyn and the Scourge. To bring back the Dawn.

It’s devastating, and once again bittersweet, when they finally make it to Insomnia. To see the damage up close, to see their home once loved and lived in, abandoned and decaying, infested with daemons. It hurts them all, but it seems to hurt Noctis the most, Prompto can tell – he can see it in the king’s eyes. They pledge themselves to their king once again before they walk down the road further into the city, fighting off the attackers until suddenly, help arrives.

And for all the worrying Prompto did, for all the times he’d been stuck thinking about him, the Immortal appears out of the darkness and catches him off-guard. He’s aged, he’s grayed, and he too now sports a beard, but Cor makes his way to the king and drops to a knee before him without question beseeching his king for failing him and pledging himself to the end.

Prompto can’t help staring. He’s moved by those words, but heartbroken at the same time. Cor seems like he’s been doing just fine, so why? Why no contact? Where has he been that would keep him from reaching out to Prompto for just a few brief words of reassurance throughout the years?

Cor doesn’t regard Prompto as he rises to his feet – although to be fair, he doesn’t acknowledge Gladio or Ignis either – but hastens them to an underground shelter where the others are waiting. They quickly follow and Cor is all too eager to announce the king to the weary citizens and other Crownsguards taking shelter below.

A wave of shock and excitement ripples through the people as they all but jump to their feet to greet, salute, or bow to their king. Cor announces with all the pride and certainty in the world that they have been waiting for Noctis, a speech that moves them all, Noctis and company included, and although Prompto is still hurt and confused, he once again feels moved by how eloquently his lover, former or not, speaks.

Noctis addresses the crowd, and Prompto feels the pride swell within him when he listens to the audible change in his best friend’s demeanor – he’s grown and matured and is proving himself as king. His words move people to tears, even Prompto, head bowed, lets a tear slip – partly because he knows what’s coming, partly because he knows this is almost at an end, but mainly because he loves his king and friend.

As Noctis takes his time speaking and talking to the citizens and Crownsguards, Prompto decides he’s had enough, he’s not mad, but he wants answers. He beelines for Cor and takes his arm, staring up at him with a piercing gaze that makes the Marshal flinch.

“I waited,” the blond says firmly, keeping his grip on Cor’s arm and gaze intent. “I waited, I sent messages, and I heard nothing.” His voice is level, his emotions secure. He’s not the same little boy he was ten years ago, and he doesn’t want to make a scene like he had the day Cor had terminated his role as Prompto’s teacher. “I’m not mad, Cor. I just… I want answers. Didn’t we promise ourselves to each other at Cape Caem? Didn’t you say you loved me? Didn’t you say you would come for me?” He falters just a little. “I…I would never think to interfere with your duties to the crown, of course not, but I deserved _something_. I want answers, I _deserve_ answers.”

Cor doesn’t meet that intense gaze at first, he can’t. The pride and honor he’d exhibited moments ago for his king deflates under Prompto’s touch and stare. “You’re right,” he acknowledges with a nod, finally looking at the younger man. “This isn’t the reunion you hoped for.”

“Me?” Prompto asks, resolve wavering. “…What about you?”

“…I failed my kings, Prompto,” Cor says in almost a whisper. “First Regis, then Noctis, and I couldn’t bear the shame.” His head sinks lower before he lifts it, not willing to sink so low to self-pity when Prompto deserved better, but his weakness had been exploited. “Once I re-established the Crownsguard after His Majesty went into the Crystal, I… I was met with some resistance. One of the surviving Kingsglaive members used you as ammo against me, for my failure to save Regis and protect Noctis.” His already aged features harden and deepen with his bubbling anger. “It was a clever and concise argument, and…I’m sorry to admit the shame and embarrassment it brought me. Any defense I was to try and offer only served to make me look worse. I caved.”

Prompto releases Cor’s arm in stunned surprise which quickly dissolves into anger, not at Cor, but at this Kingsglaive. Anyone who knew Cor knew better, and to question the Marshal’s loyalty, to berate him to this point of guilt and shame which was _unreal_ for Prompto to see in person, set the blond’s blood on fire.

“Who?”

Cor looks up in confusion. “What?”

“Who the _fuck_ dared to say this to you?”

The awkwardness that overcomes Cor is almost too much to bear. He can take care of himself, but he’s reminded of that day in the locker room when he’d told Prompto to let him know who if anyone gave him trouble in training. With the shoe on the other foot, Cor’s brain malfunctions in a way. He doesn’t want to give up the name, either, lest any issues arise as a result, but the instant his gaze flickers towards a slim brunette hovering near the back of the room, Prompto moves.

“Argentum—”

But the call falls on deaf ears. Prompto reaches the man and immediately punches him in the throat, stunning the room into silence as everyone turns and all eyes fall on Prompto.

“How _dare_ you question his loyalty?” the blond is shouting as he leans over the coughing man clutching his throat. “Cor has done more for this kingdom and to the royal family than you will _ever_ know. I—” He cuts himself off and shakes his head. “I’m not gonna waste any more words on you. You should be _ashamed_.”

Seeming to come to his senses after that, Prompto looks up to find Noctis is smiling at him. He grins a little, sheepishly, before he returns to Cor and drags him out of the room. Once they’re alone, he shoves the marshal against the wall and kisses him, deep and longing and loving, swept up in the familiarity of that taste and touch, crushed that they can’t be alone after all this.

Well, more alone than _this_.

The dam breaks and Cor turns Prompto around, back against the wall to kiss and touch and press against. He’d missed Prompto, he’d anguished over those words that dared to blame his love for the blond as cause for the fall of Insomnia. Out of context, it sounded silly and untrue, but only those who were there when the city fell knew what happened, saw that they’d seen, and those accusations of his disloyalty to the crown because of his love for Prompto had cut deep and left scars.

Cor had known that if he was going to succeed in bringing these people together for Noctis’s return, he had to give Prompto up. He loved Prompto, he had to hope the other man would understand when the time came, that his loyalty to the crown had to supersede what they had.

A part of Cor, however, hopes it’s the last time he has to make this choice.

“I’m sorry,” he breathes, when they break apart, gasping for air. “I’m so sorry, Prompto.”

Prompto doesn’t know what to say. Of course he’s not mad, but a part of him hates that they’ve lost so much time and the fight isn’t over. They could have had ten years, but…he looks up into those blue steely eyes and sees Cor’s anguish. He knows Cor hadn’t done this to hurt, but because he’d been hurt and his loyalty had been questioned and at the end of the day, Noctis did matter more. The fate of the _world_ mattered more.

“Do you love me?”

Cor blinks but nods, that hint of a smile on his thin lips appearing, although accompanied by a deeper wrinkle in his brow now. “Of course I do. I never stopped.”

“Will you still come for me when this is all over?”

“Will you still be waiting?

“I never stopped.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK. I apologize from the depths of my SOUL for the hiatus my WIPs suffered as a result of moving and just becoming overwhelmed with shit, then that finally settled and my inspiration was just GONE. Thankfully, as a result of a fic written for helping me financially, I got my spark back and now I'm dedicating my writing time to my fics. I will only be working on one at a time until they're both done.
> 
> I hope that I balanced the game plot with my fic decently. I really didn't want to gloss over the plot and lose that atmosphere and context, especially for those who aren't as familiar with it (possibly). It felt wrong to skip, but finding the balance was hard. So I hope it worked out and sounds convincing. I think there's only going to be a couple of chapters left. <3 Hang in there!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and now, the end.

Cor doesn't fall asleep that night. Although time is of the essence, Noctis and the others need rest for what they're about to face, so they're shown to some spare rooms, but Prompto doesn't leave Cor's side. One more night is all the blond asks, and when they get their privacy, Prompto rides Cor so hard the Marshal thinks he's about to have a heart attack. But it feels so _good_ to feel this after ten years of emptiness.

He missed Prompto. He missed that warmth. That sunshine the younger man radiated even in the darkness.

They go again, but it's Prompto that passes out afterward, curled up at Cor's side until new habits kick in and he slides slowly off Cor as the hours pass and snores on his stomach. Cor watches him for what feels like years, tired eyes memorizing the new lines and features on the young blond's face. He really questions the facial hair, but figures that's a joke for another time – he worries more about the circles under those blue-violet eyes, and the new scars that Prompto's clothes had hidden.

Cor isn't the man he once was. He's older, his failures have grown, and although he is not one accustomed to self-pity, he recognizes his short-coming when they matter, when lives are lost. He's grateful that Noctis still lives, that they still have a chance, and nothing about his duty to the Lucian crown has changed.

But Cor has failed Prompto too many times. How can Prompto forgive him over and over and over? A bad breakup, several days without seeing each other, hearsay from Gladio, and a decade later and the blond still keeps coming back to him.

Why?

Cor doesn't have to guess, really, he knows that Prompto loves him, but he supposes that's the real question. _Why_ does Prompto love him? He deserves so much better than what Cor can and has given him, but he keeps coming back.

Too lost in his thoughts, Cor doesn't notice Prompto's snores have stopped, or that those eyes have slipped open and are watching him now, until the blond lifts himself up onto his elbows and gazes up at him.

“What's wrong?”

Cor wants to lie, wants to say he's worried about Noctis, which isn't untrue, but... He can't keep doing this to Prompto. “I still don't understand,” he admits, earning a confused head-tilt from the blond. “Why you're still here...with me.” He shakes his head. “Even if I had a reason, it...it was a terrible thing to do.”

Prompto's lips disappear into a thin line that closely resembles Cor's as he lifts himself up and makes himself comfortable in the Immortal's lap. “Because we made a promise,” he says, looking into those cool blue eyes. “We said we'd wait, that we'd come back for each other, that we loved each other. None of that changed, you didn't...not keep that promise, you know? This shit is still going on, you were doing your job. You just...hadn't come back for me yet, and I was waiting like I said I would.” He blushes a little. “I mean, I did kinda get mad at you back there. Sorry, but...you know, a guy gets tired of his hand after ten years.”

To Prompto's surprise, Cor actually laughs and they meet in a kiss, slow and loving. “I'm sorry,” he breathes as they pull back, stroking a hand down Prompto's neck. “I...don't know how long it will take me to get over this guilt I feel for making you wait ten years. For letting those words get to me and make me think you deserved to come after my work. There...there really wasn't anything stopping me but my pride.”

Prompto cups that hardened face in his hands and shakes his head. “It wasn't ideal,” he agrees, “but we're both still here. Both still fighting. We still love each other and our king.” He steals another kiss, this one fueled by a little desperation. “That's all that matters, right?”

Cor nods firmly and they lose themselves to another round of slow love-making, reminiscent of Cape Caem in the sunset – or at least, that's where their minds take them. Maybe they will have another day like that – maybe it's not too late.

* * *

When morning comes, according to their clocks anyway, Prompto returns to Noctis and the others so they can discuss their plans. They're tentative about the details, none of them quite willing to voice the endgame because all of them know what that means. But they know they have to get to the Citadel by any means possible – today it finally comes down to that life or death, for real.

The Crownsguard and Cor see them off, but Prompto keeps things platonic in view of the crowd, for Cor's sake. He merely shakes the Marshal's hand and lets his eyes do the rest, trying not to smile too much when he reads that stoic face and knows Cor is reciprocating.

They walk in silence for a while before the daemons rush them. As a team, they easily pick off the assaulting creatures one by one, the years unable to prove that none of them have lost their touch and that they function just as well together as they did back then. But as they near the Citadel, a voice calls out to them, one that raises the hair on their necks as they look up to spot Ardyn atop a pole.

A brief exchange of words and taunts between the Accursed and Noctis results in another battle for their lives, only this time, it's with a gigantic three-headed dog.

Oh, and he's on fire.

Terror and awe finally give way to instincts and a plan, and of course a few puns from Ignis, as the four huddle behind a stone wall from a wave of fire rolling over them. It's terrifying but Ignis brings them all back down to Eos and they move out as a team to attack. Prompto distracts with precision shots as Gladio and Noctis go in for the assault, Ignis using magic while proving that his blindness hasn't slowed him one bit.

It's a long, arduous battle that drains them of energy with the heat pressing down on them in addition to the strain from the battle itself. The Cerberus is ferocious and angry and dangerous, and it starts to appear like they just might not win this one.

“Think it's too late to ask Ardyn to call off his dog?” Prompto pants as they stagger back away from the creature and another wave of fire consumes them.

They shield themselves from the flames, ready to strike, before something explodes up out from within the Cerberus, a figure wielding a long katana and Prompto's heart stops in his throat.

Cor!

“Mind if this old soldier joins you?” the Marshal says as he steps back into their ranks and Prompto couldn't be any prouder.

“Not at all,” Noctis assures, glancing over at Prompto briefly as the five of them leap in for round two with the fire daemon.

With what strength they have left, they take down Cerberus, Cor's arrival giving them all a renewed sense of strength and determination to finally bring the creature to its knees. They watch as it sags to the ground, in what seems to be the throes of death, but before they can congratulate themselves, Cerberus spits out a fireball aimed directly for Noctis.

Without a moment's hesitation, and before any of the others can think to act, Cor throws himself in its way to protect his king, and Prompto lets out a cry of protest as he runs to the Marshal's aid. To his relief, Cor's injured, but it doesn't appear he'll die today, and it's all Prompto can do to stand back and let the older man address his king.

Of course, the way Cor talks has Prompto's heart in knots – the man's talking like it's over until Prompto realizes, it is, but not for Cor. His eyes shift to Noctis, staring worriedly at Cor as the two grip each other's arms, and the blond realizes they're so close to the end now. Cor finally defended his king, finally did something right in the grand mess this whole thing has become, but he can't save Noctis from his fate.

None of them can.

Prompto brings his attention back just as they rise to their feet and promise to meet again at daybreak, and as Cor limps past him, Prompto reaches out to take his hand, briefly. The Marshal looks back at him, holding his gaze as he nods and squeezes Prompto's hand, silently assuring him he'll be alright as he continues back off to the underground base.

Prompto watches him go until the darkness consumes him, then turns back to continue on with Noctis and the others.

When they reach the Citadel, the wall Ardyn has created to defend it remains standing with no way past it. They stare in vain before sounds from behind draw their attention to hordes of daemons coming to finish them off. They're too many to number, and Prompto worries for the first time that they may fail to see their king to the end of this after all.

Until a light appears behind them, drawing their attention and turning them around to find Luna there, pleading for the gods to lend Noctis their strength. Gentiana appears at her side almost instantly, announcing the gods have heard their prayers, and that's when things start to get really crazy. Suddenly, lightning pelts the ground around them, picking off daemons as Ramuh above summons more. Shiva swoops in next to ice the wall and weakens it as Leviathan bursts forth from the fog to wrap herself around the Citadel and crush the wall.

It's all they can do to watch in stunned awe and disbelief at the gods' display of power, when Titan lands before them and pelts the wall with one savage punch that begins the wall's ultimate demise. Until Bahamut himself appears, summons his arsenal of weapons, and destroys it for good.

Noctis and the others watch as the wall disintegrates, their eyes watching the crystals rain down until they look back at Luna in shock and gratitude. Noctis reaches for her as a moment passes between them, solemn as it may be, but when they reach to touch, she disappears and Prompto hates that for Noctis, but Gladio makes a quip about divine intervention and the tension eases.

Together, they head inside the Citadel to confront Ardyn yet again, finding the man seated on the throne, gloating and malicious. Prompto watches anxiously, ready to fight but not expecting to see Ardyn summon dark magic and throw it his way. It hits him faster than he expects and out of the corner of his eye, he sees Gladio and Ignis go down too.

It seems, Ardyn would fight Noctis alone, but he can't! Even if it makes sense, he can't go it alone, not without help! Prompto doesn't even know if he'll wake back up, but all he can think about is failing to be at his king's side.

He doesn't get to worry long as darkness comes over him and Prompto sees no more.

* * *

When Prompto comes to, it's raining and Noctis is shaking him awake. He gasps in alarm but sits up immediately, gripping his king's arms in concern and confusion. A quick glance to the side tells Prompto that Ignis and Gladio are awake and groggy, but the blond looks back at his friend and bites his lip.

“Is it over?”

A rueful smile crosses Noctis's lips. “...Almost.”

This is goodbye, Prompto realizes immediately, getting to his feet with Noctis's help as Gladio helps Ignis. The blond is shaking his head, he's not ready, but he can't bring himself to say anything. They already had this conversation back at the campfire, they've known this for days, there's nothing _to_ say, nothing that won't ruin the moment or cheapen what Noctis is about to do.

They stand before Noctis as he ascends the steps before he turns back and bids them farewell in his own way, reminiscent of his father as he tells them to walk tall. Prompto cries freely and thanks the rain for hiding his tears as he manages to keep from sobbing.

His tears don't last as the sound of daemons behind them draws their attention away from Noctis's sacrifice. It's time to protect their king one last time, and they fight well into the eternal night for as long as it may take.

But the distraction doesn't last long for Prompto. He can fight and cry, it seems, and his heart breaks every time he thinks about the fact that he just lost his best friend to some stupid prophecy. He can't be mad, although he wants to be, but it isn't _fair_.

All this, just for Noct to die? Like everything they've been through wasn't sacrifice enough?

Prompto finds himself getting more bitter as they continue slicing through the seemingly endless hordes of daemons. Where are the gods now? Too busy taking Noctis apart, however that works? In fact, the night only seems to be getting darker, deeper, and their despair grows until they finally break through the horde and silence follows.

It's...eerie, and Prompto starts to think about that quote where it's always darkest before the dawn and then...

“...Is it getting lighter, you guys?”

Ignis coughs politely but Gladio looks at Prompto and then they realize with sudden alarm that they're facing the east because..._the sun is rising_. Prompto's heart leaps into his throat and he falls to his knees in shock and relief – Noctis succeeded, but...that means...

A hand touches his shoulder and Prompto looks up to find Gladio at his side with his other hand in Ignis's. They're both facing the sun, tears in their eyes as they all tilt their heads back and bask in the warmth they've been denied for ten years. They silently thank their friend, mourn over the loss, and take the time to be grateful for the sun rising again.

When noises sound from behind them, Prompto and the others turn to find Cor has arrived with the survivors and Crownsguard. The sun has risen, they know what that means. But Cor's eyes are on Prompto and Prompto notes the bandages on the Marshal and feels grateful, more than ever, that he's not _alone_. He scrambles to his feet and jettisons over to the Immortal, launching himself at the older man despite his injuries, to hold on and sob.

Cor's arms fold around him and comfort him, tears of his own spilling at the loss of Noctis, and the gratitude of having Prompto still be here. He pulls back after a minute, just to look at Prompto in the sunlight, his skin already tinged with slight pink from the light after spending a decade in the dark. He leans in and presses his lips softly to the blond's, holding him, comforting him, but relearning him.

Even if they'd spent all that time last night doing that, he...he means it even more now. It's over, they can be together now.

It's time to rebuild.

But...who will lead them?

Cor pulls away from Prompto at this thought and whispers a soft word to the blond to excuse himself when a commotion from before them at the Citadel steals the attention away from the Marshal. A swirl of ice and mist appears, growing and spinning until Shiva appears in the midst, gazing at the crowd before her. She looks from Gladio and Ignis, to Prompto and Cor, to beyond at the survivors gathered before she lifts her hands to the sky and speaks.

“With the last of the strength in me, I beseech the gods to revive the souls of those who sacrificed all so that this world could live.”

In a sudden explosion of icy power that causes everyone to shield their faces and fall to their knees, Prompto feels the warmth that followd that cold blow and can see the brightening light despite his closed eyes. When he lowers his hand, he lets out a cry and bolted back to his feet, running past everyone to the front, unsure if what he sees is even real. His heart is pounding, his stomach is twisting as he studies the sight before him.

Scattered across the steps as the mist clears are several bodies, slowly coming to – Nyx, Regis, Clarus, Luna, Noct – they're all there, and Prompto has to rub his eyes several times to make sure he isn't dreaming. Certain he isn't, Prompto flies up the steps to his best friend and helps him up, trying to confirm there isn't anything deceptive going on, but he doesn't care anymore. He throws his arms around the king and holds him so tight that Noctis has to gasp and tap Prompto's shoulder for air.

“W-what happened?”

“I...I don't know, dude!” Prompto exclaims, hearing the others coming closer but he is shocked Gladio and Ignis aren't at his side already. “Shiva showed up and said something about using her power to revive those who...” He trails off and his eyes widened. “Holy shit, she...she brought you all back and...”

“Gave herself up instead...” Noctis breathes, looking up at the sky before he glances to the side and sees the others. His eyes fall on Luna first and he gives Prompto a quick look before pulling away to go to her side, helping her to her feet as they meet each other's eyes.

Prompto lets them have their moment and turns back to look for Gladio and Ignis, only to find them at the bottom of the steps, staring at each other. Frowning in confusion, Prompto takes a step forward, only to realize that...Ignis is no longer blind. That that sacrifice had been included with Shiva's last gesture of power, and his sight had been restored. He runs down to join them, basks in the excitement and happiness, while Noctis leaves Luna's side to go to his dad.

The moment between them is bittersweet, given what Noctis had literally just gone through. Regis seems uncomfortable and unsure of how to address his son after running a sword through him, but there's time now – and there will be time to heal. They embrace, tightly, worried that letting go would cause one of them to disappear, but when Noctis pulls back and lets Clarus tend to his...well, king, the younger Caelum turns to the last person who had been brought back.

Nyx.

At first, Noctis isn't sure what to feel. Their eyes meet and Nyx's brows shoot up as he gets up and laughs. “...Well, someone's grown up,” he jokes, hoping to lighten the mood if it needs it because he sure as hell doesn't know what's going on.

“It's...it's been a while,” Noctis stammers awkwardly, feeling twenty all over again as he hesitantly approaches the Kingsglaive. “...I, um...”

“You look good,” Nyx says softly, reaching for Noctis once he's close enough and tugging him gently so their bodies press together as he presses a kiss to Noctis's lips.

A throat clears however and Noctis jerks back, just like back in the old days, embarrassed to be caught kissing Nyx, but it's Gladio and Ignis, and it only takes Noctis seconds to realize that Ignis can see again. Their eyes meet and Noctis doesn't know what to say, or how to feel now that the guilt can finally heal after Ignis's sacrifice had cost him his sight. They meet in a tearful embrace that Prompto joins in on and Gladio completes with his wide arm span.

The crowd below is applauding now and cheering, everyone is crying tears of joy as Prompto pulls back and looks for Cor, who's slowly making his way up the steps towards Regis and Clarus. Their reunion is quiet and reserved, but Prompto knows it's because the Marshal is likely apologizing for his failure and Regis is dismissing it before the king pulls Cor close, grateful for what the Immortal had done.

Prompto just watches, a smile stuck on his face as more tears fall down his cheeks. He looks up at the sky and feels the emotions bubble, unsure how they'd been blessed in this way, but clearly they'd done something right. He looks over at Noctis, who's at his side looking up at the sun with him.

“What now?” Prompto asks.

Noctis looks back at his friend with a smile, Ignis and Gladio at his side, watching. “Now? We rebuild.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i left some things out (sorry), and i hope this ending wasn't too deus ex machina, but it was a nice idea and i really didn't want to end it like the game did. the next chapter is going to be a nice fluffy epilogue to wrap up all the "loose endings" and give everyone the satisfaction of a happy ending :)


	19. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a happy end :)

_A few months later_...

And so, they rebuild. It starts off slow. So much to do, but all the time in the world.

Regis abdicates the throne shortly after his strange return to Insomnia, to life, rather. It had taken very little time for him to come to the decision internally, but his biggest issue had turned out to be the hesitation of dumping more responsibility on Noctis after doing so much to his son already. Although both Caelums had been overjoyed with the reunion, with their second chance, their relationship was strained, even more so after Regis had rammed a sword through his son.

But Noctis isn't the same child who Regis had seen off to Altissia those many years ago. The past decade had hardened him, true, but matured him.

Regis finds himself jealous, sometimes, of Clarus's reunion with his children. Iris had risen from the darkness a powerful warrior, much like her brother, taking on the daemons with no fear in order to protect the people and do her part. Clarus had been so proud, he'd been brought to tears – also, of course, because his daughter had survived.

Even his reunion with Gladio had been a tearful one. After Gladio's shock and disbelief at the restoral of Ignis's sight, realizing his dad was standing up there with the rest of them nearly brought him to his knees.

The only downside is that Clarus has an insane protective streak over Iris now, and Gladio's had to stop him more than once with the warning that Iris _will_ cut him if he gets in the way.

But with Noctis and Regis, it's not quite so easy. Their deaths had all been violent, of course, but it's a bit more personal for this father and son. And it takes time. But Regis doesn't give up and Noctis doesn't want him to. Each day that passes as they work to restore Insomnia to its former glory is another day they've been given back, to spend it together, to do things right.

And it gets better. As the people slowly return to Insomnia, everyone takes part in helping rebuild their home. The destruction is cleared away, slowly but surely, other nations – even Tenebrae and what's left of Niflheim – send aid and supplies. Noctis restores the Council, repairs the Citadel, and works to bring everyone closer together after such a terrible fall.

Regis can also finally be open about his relationship with Clarus. It had remained hidden for so long, for a number of reasons, but now, there was no more need. Not to mention, time had become so much more precious to them now, why waste it anymore? They share a room now, show affection openly, stay up late watching movies (once power gets restored and lines rewired, which took some time), while Clarus massages Regis's knee.

Regis tries to be the big spoon when they cuddle, but Clarus dwarfs him and they quickly dissolve to laughter before changing positions. Gladio has issues with this when it first comes to light, but only because it's too _weird_ for him. He quickly turns out to be in the minority and shuts up.

However, Gladio decides to drop the hint to Nyx next time he sees him, that maybe it would be cute and romantic if Nyx started massaging Noctis's knee.

(He finds out later, the tip had paid off.)

Once Noctis has Insomnia on the right path and things get easier for the transition and restoration, Regis and Clarus decide to move. It's an awkward announcement at first, but after abdicating his throne and seeing Noctis more than fit to handle it, it's the closest thing to retirement that Regis can get. They're off to Cape Caem a few days later – purchase some animals to farm, stock up on all sorts of fishing equipment for the former king, and live out of the house on the cape.

Cor goes to visit regularly. Not that he doesn't want to stay around Prompto or protect Noctis, but Regis and Clarus are his friends. Unfortunately, he's the _oldest_ one of them now, so he huffs a lot about being the one to retire now instead of those two. He quickly learns it was a mistake to mention his age because the pranks start all over again.

It starts when Prompto joins him for one visit. Cor had left to get some groceries after Regis had _politely_ asked, and, not seeing the trap for what it was, Cor and Prompto had left to get some. When they return, they're none the wiser, until Prompto goes to get something out of Cor's bag and pulls out a bottle of Viagra. Cor had walked in on the stunned, red-faced Prompto, to which Cor had bellowed out a “GODS-FUCKING-DAMN IT, REGIS,” and distant cackling from the upstairs had followed.

The cackling had stopped when they'd heard Cor's heavy footsteps racing up the stairs and the Marshal goes in for the tackle.

“No, not his knee!” Clarus had protested when Regis had suddenly realized far too late that there was no magic from the crystal anymore, and he couldn't warp.

“HE WON'T HAVE ANY KNEES WHEN I'M DONE WITH HIM!”

“I spent the whole day fixing it yesterday!”

“I'M NOT EVEN ON HIS KNEE!” Which was true, Cor had been squishing Regis's face into the carpet.

The rest of the vacation had been...fun.

As for Prompto and Cor, things finally turned out the way they'd been meant to. Once they return home from their stay at Cape Caem, they fall back into the routine of things. Prompto is obviously one of Noct's personal guards, does regular training with new recruits for ranged weaponry with Cor at his side. It's perfect.

They share a room at the Citadel when work requires them to stay, but once the local apartments are restored, they move in together in a nice penthouse-esque place, and spend every moment alone touching and reconnecting. It seems like too much, but ten years of nothing had Prompto a little clingier than he'd expected, but Cor doesn't seem to mind one bit. In fact, he keeps up quite well with the blond's demands and is just as aggressive and satisfying in bed as he's always been. (He didn't keep the Viagra.)

Gladio and Ignis get back to normal as well. It had taken time, at first. Ignis had had the opposite reaction to his sight being restored – mostly because he'd spent a decade _adjusting_ to it. He'd almost continued training with a blindfold, just to keep his edge, but soon settled back to normalcy. He'd taken his place at Noctis's side with ease, helping with the transition from Regis's reign to Noctis's, assisting with the political stuff that would always go over the younger Caelum's head.

Ignis had always had a knack for it, and the norm of trifling political matters was like a breath of fresh air after the decade of terror they'd faced. What was a dumb bumbling counselor in comparison to a fire-breathing daemon?

But Noctis takes things seriously now. He pays attention, doesn't fall asleep in meetings _as_ much, and tries hard to make sure Insomnia is restored as quickly, fiscally, and reasonably as possible. He listens to the people's inquiries and demands, does what he can to set things right and reign the kingdom as well as his father had, while trying to make up for the trauma his family had caused.

It may have been the gods' fault, but Noctis wants to do right by the people.

Ignis couldn't have been prouder. He and Gladio happily stand at their king's side, guiding him, protecting him, supporting him. They still sneak out to the bars once they reopen, still go to arcades and fuck around like they're kids still, it's all they can do to reclaim the past and the youth that had been stolen from them. (Noctis had made it a _slight_ priority to restore some of the arcade games, but that's a secret.)

Luna and Noctis had had a long talk after their return – Noctis couldn't stop apologizing for failing her, but Luna was too kind a soul to blame the young Caelum. She had told him everything from her side, explaining what she knew so that maybe Noctis could better understand, but she had realized quickly – although she technically was already far too aware – of the guilt Noctis had carried around all these years after her death.

But she was more than happy to return to Tenebrae with her brother** to restore their home and rebuild the ties between their kingdom and Lucis. Ravus still had reservations, but Shiva's restoral had given him back his arm, but without his mother, his issues ran too deep to be solved by just being given a second chance. But in the end, Luna sets him straight, reminds him about what happened in Altissia, reminds him what that anger had cost them already, and Ravus relents.

Lucis and Tenebrae are even stronger allies now, and together, they turn their sights to Niflheim to determine how to proceed next.

At first, Nyx and Noctis are pretty awkward around each other. The last time they'd been together was when they'd had sex, and although it had been honest not mean, Noctis had admitted he didn't know if he loved Nyx because their time had been cut short. But Nyx looks at the king now the same way he did ten years ago, like Noctis is the only thing in the world that matters. He corners him in hallways and kisses him until they hear someone coming, then break away like horny teenagers and go their separate ways.

Noctis suggests maybe they should see other people because maybe they're not meant to be, but they both try, fail and find themselves together again. They avoid having sex like they know what it means, but they get so riled up in those corners, that Noctis finally begs Nyx to take him. The decade apart place them closer in age now, there's no need to be weird, no need to hide – after all, Clarus and Regis, Ignis and Gladio, Prompto and Cor – everyone's fucking it seems.

Why can't they?

It isn't until they finally give in and Nyx gives Noctis another love-making session that'll last him ten more years that the truth comes out: Nyx is worried Noctis feels obliged after what he'd said the last time they'd seen each other. He doesn't want Noctis to force himself to love Nyx.

And Noctis corrects the former Kingsglaive then and there, in the darkness of his room lit only by the moonlight spilling through the window – he'd never felt obligated, he'd just been young. But Nyx had been on his mind all these years because Noctis mourned the inability to find out if they were meant to be.

When Nyx comes inside him the second time that night, he knows, and they finally confess how they feel.

* * *

Prompto wakes up one morning to an empty bed and sighs as he looks around the room for any sign of Cor. He already knows the Marshal is probably up at the Citadel and plans to punish the man later for abandoning him while he'd been sleeping. He gets up and heads into the bathroom, splashing water on his face as he rubs his stubbled chin. Cor had given him so much grief over the hair there, that Prompto had shaved it, even _if_ he'd grown it to look a little like Cor.

Truthfully, he hadn't minded shaving, and if he really wanted to, he'd grow it right back and annoy Cor with it. But shaving it made him feel and look younger, even if the circles under his eyes were still there, and the lines in his face had deepened. It's still taking them all time to get used to the sun again after a decade in the dark. They'd had to do a lot of construction and restoration work in the early mornings and late evenings when the sun was weakening to avoid too much sunburn.

It's getting better, but it still doesn't take much for a person to turn a nice shade of pink if they're out in the sun for too long. Prompto is no exception – already pale by nature, he'd had to do a lot of night shifts to transition back into the sun.

Smiling ruefully at the thought, Prompto finishes getting ready and hurries to get dressed. There's a new batch of recruits today and he's anxious to get to the Citadel to surprise Cor with something he's been planning with Gladio and Ignis. By the time he makes it to work, the sun is peaking over the tops of the buildings in downtown Insomnia, and Prompto smiles as he heads down the halls and out to the courtyard. He passes the training room altogether, saving that for later as he quickens his step in the hopes that Cor had gone to his office first and is not already waiting in the courtyard.

To his relief, only Gladio and Ignis are there, setting up for the prank as Prompto giggles and hurries over to assist. They get everything set up just in time as the first few students show up, followed by Cor from another entrance.

Prompto lights up at the sight and walks over to the Marshal, pressing a kiss to those thin lips and tilting his head at the expression on the older man's face. “Something wrong?”

“Regis and Clarus glitter-bombed my office by mail this time.”

Confused, Prompto looks over Cor's spotless uniform but notices glitter speckled in the Marshal's close-cropped hair.

“But...”

“I changed,” Cor explains with a twitch of his brow and Prompto has to stifle a giggle.

“Come on,” the blond says, guiding Cor by the hand to the front of the growing class. He carefully makes sure that Cor is in the right position as innocently as he can manage, but he's grateful for Regis and Clarus's surprise prank-by-mail because the Marshal seems distracted by it. He glances over his shoulder, sees a nod from Ignis that they're in place, and Prompto leaves Cor's side to greet the class and go over the basics.

“Now, for the first move we'll do after warm-ups,” he announces, touching the sword at his side that even Cor has to frown at it.

Prompto is _not_ a melee person, what—

And then Prompto reenacts the prank that Cor himself had done all those years ago. Gladio throws the meat, Prompto pulls the sword out a bit, then immediately shoves it back in the sheath, and split meat falls down.

There are a few nervous giggles that trickle out from the class, and Prompto looks heartbroken until a boisterous laugh takes him by surprise and he turns to see Cor is actually _laughing_. The Marshal is holding his stomach, bent over, just like Prompto had and the blond feels overcome with emotion and relief as he glances up at Ignis and Gladio and then goes to Cor's side.

For the first time, Cor takes Prompto by the hand out of the courtyard and Ignis clears his throat awkwardly to take over teaching in the meantime. The Marshal all but drags Prompto to the training room, through it and into the locker room, where he pins the blond against the wall and moves with him, just like they had the first time. They move to the showers and reenact their first time there, and then up to Cor's office for a third round.

Prompto's actually winded by the third time he comes, in downward dog in Cor's office, collapsing onto the floor before realizing that _yet again_, they are covered in glitter. But Cor isn't done with him and brings him to the chair. Prompto is more than a little turned on by his lover's stamina, but he pulls back before they can go their fourth round, searching Cor's eyes for an answer.

“Because you laughed,” Cor says without Prompto saying a word, “because you made me laugh. Because you waited for me, because you forgave me. Because you...” He stumbles on his words, looking almost embarrassed for what he wants to say out loud, so Prompto kisses him instead, long and deep and filled with all the emotion in Cor's voice.

“I never said it before because it just...the timing was never right,” the Marshal says softly once they break apart and he slips up into Prompto's abused hole with all the gentleness he can muster. “But you were like the sun to me, a breath of fresh air. When the night became eternal, although I failed you, I still...you were my sun.”

Prompto lets out a quiet whimper as he's filled again and bites his lip, chest flushing against Cor's. “I got pretty mad at you,” he admits breathlessly, moving with the Marshal and panting softly, “but...I knew you'd always be there. Like, you're the Immortal, you were _my_ Immortal.”***

They slip into silence and let their last time be soft and sensual, coming hard together a few minutes later before relaxing and holding each other for what seemed like an eternity. Prompto finally pulls back and leans against the desk, elbow settling on something hard and pressing it, letting out a shriek when another glitter-bomb explodes and showers them in a fresh coat of glitter. It sticks to the various bodily fluids covering them, before a distant cackling is hard.

“..._i wonder if their balls are covered in glitter..._” says a distant familiar voice. “..._because they both have pretty nuts now_.”

“..._is that what we get to call the porno?_”

Prompto looks around in alarm as Cor grits his teeth and reaches for the small camera he'd missed on his monitor. He wraps his fist around it, crushing it, just as Regis's voice says, “--w_e weren't expecting to film a porno—”_

Stifling another giggle, Prompto looks back at Cor and tries to wipe some of the glitter off the older man's face. “Guess we have to come up with something special for payback, huh?”

Cor looks at him in surprise and tilts his head. “Oh? You think you're up to helping me?”

Prompto scoffs at the Marshal and crosses his arms. “_Please_ don't tell me you've forgotten about all the antics Noctis and I got up to back in the day,” he says, “you _do_ know most of those were my ideas, right?”

A twitch on Cor's lip tells the blond he's succeeded in gaining the Marshal's interest and he grins down at him.

“Now...here's what I've got in mind...”

~fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **I forgot Ravus with the group that got resurrected by Shiva. I KNEW I was forgetting someone but couldn't for the life of me remembered and assumed I was wrong, so um, OOPS. But just pretend I didn't forget lol
> 
> ***Please no My Immortal comments, I wanted to write that line so beautifully, but that damn fic made it impossible haha
> 
> \--
> 
> Next, I'm going to finish For King and Country, so please go give that one a quick reread (or your first read!), because that fic did not get the love it deserved while I was actively writing it <3 
> 
> Thank you all for sticking around with this one til the end. Sorry I had to take an unintended break, but I appreciate each and every one of you who didn't miss a beat and left a supportive comment. That means the world to me, thank you so much <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in rarepair hell. Hopefully y'all like this one though.
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/dragonbornette) | [tumblr](https://dragonbornette.tumblr.com/)


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